


Just a Colony Kid

by CmdrLShepard (MadAmos)



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-27
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 85,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadAmos/pseuds/CmdrLShepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An expansion on my version of Commander Shepard's early years and possibly the events of the games as well - edit- Ok, the events of the games, at least the highlights.  Its a bit rambling and will skirt the official canon just a bit, but major events are unchanged -edit- except the ending, I have a plan for that.  The timelines may be a bit bent as well.</p><p>-edit- Back from the break.  -edit-  back from another break</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Choosing a Hero

**Author's Note:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Alliance Naval Headquarters**

**Arcturus Station, 2183**

**(Three months prior to the Normandy SR-1’s completion)**

Three men sat at the end of a large table in a conference room.  Datapads and old fashioned paper dossiers claim the majority of the space on the table.  The leftover room is devoted to the dishes of late dinner.  Two men are in uniform, one with the four broad stripes of an admiral on his shoulder, the other carrying three denoting a captain.  The captain appeared nearly out of patience with the third man, wearing a fashionable suit, who’d claimed the head of the table.  The civilian, tossed his data pad to the table with an exasperated sigh.    “Hackett, back me up here, I understand Anderson’s reluctance to move too quickly, but we have to have the candidate selection to the Turians and the Subcommittee before the SR-1’s launch and all of my suggestions have been perfectly capable officers.”

Hackett looked back at the civilian with an unreadable expression and spoke for the first time in an hour, “Udina, its not that we need to move quickly, in fact I agree we need to make a decision on this tonight.”  Anderson looked over at the admiral in surprise, about to speak but Hackett raised a hand and continued, “I’ll be blunt, Udina, our reservations have to do with the political ambitions of the majority of your candidates - not their combat records.  At least look at the list Anderson and I compiled again and if you can find someone from your list on our list, you’ll have my endorsement and we can move on to other decisions.”

Ambassador Udina’s expression was unfriendly.  “Fine, give me the list.” he said, reaching out his hand.  Hackett passed over a datapad without comment.  Several minutes passed as the Ambassador cross referenced Anderson’s list with his own.

He looked up and over at the captain and spoke, “Well, what about Shepard.  She grew up in the colonies.”

Anderson schooled his expression into calm, concealing his desire to shout “Yes!” and spoke in an even tone.  “She knows how tough life can be out there.  Her parents were killed when slavers attacked Mindoir.”

Hackett added, “She proved herself during the Blitz.  Held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived.”

There was a momentary silence, so Anderson continued.  “She’s the only reason Elysium is still standing.”

Nodding almost grudgingly, Udina agreed.  “We can’t question her courage.”

Sensing he nearly had the Ambassador's agreement, Anderson added “Humanity needs a hero, and Shepard’s the best we’ve got.”

Udina regarded the two military officers for a moment and nodded.  This time firmly, with a hint of dismissal in his voice,  “I’ll make the call.”  He rose and left the room for the secure comm room down the hall without a backward glance.

The door slid shut and sealed itself with a hiss.  Anderson turned to his friend and said “Ok, Steven, how did you get Shepard’s name onto his list.  I know for a fact she’s not politically connected enough to rate attention from his faction.”

“David,” Hackett smiled, crookedly. “You’ve never been good at the game, it's why you don’t have your fourth bar yet.  But in this case, your faith in my ability to play it is misplaced.  I tried, but couldn’t get her on the ‘official’ list.”

“Then how..” Anderson started to say and was interrupted.

“The Turian Hierarchy.” Hackett let the words hit the room like the datapad hit the table earlier.

“The Turians.” Anderson murmured, “But why?  I know Shepard's got a reputation in some circles, but why would the Hierarchy care about one Alliance officer?”

“I don’t have all of the details, but the rumor ONI has come across is that the suggestion was made at the specific request the Council.  They dug a little deeper and found it had two backers.  A Turian SPECTRE and the Commander of the Destiny Ascension, Matriarch Lidanya.” Hackett replied.  Seeing Anderson’s face darken with anger, “No not that one.  His name’s Nihlus.  Solid soldier by all accounts.  I’ll forward you our files on him later.”

Anderson nodded, getting his flash of anger under control.  After a moment he spoke in a more or less normal tone, “Alright, well I suppose that clears up the XO slot, I’m not going to question anything that gets Shepard back on my crew.  So, have you looked at the engineering list yet?  I know he’s a bit gruff, but Adams knows the new drive core design inside and out…”

 


	2. Past as Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we discover a little bit about what came before on Mindoir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Shepard Homestead**

**Mindoir, 2168 (15 years prior)**

The narrow field of view of the rifle’s scope steadied as Lilias braced herself against the tree limb.  She slowed her breathing as she focused on the only undisturbed patch of green in the small plot she’d cultivated.  She wasn’t particularly fond of the various vegetables she was growing, but she was very interested in her biotechnology grade this semester.    I’m five points behind that annoying new kid, Sandy Johnson, Lilias thought, If I can beat her, the look on her face would be priceless.  Gotta save my experiment first though…  a flash of movement caught her eye and her finger dropped to the trigger, tightening.  

-CRACK-

The rifle’s sound was a surprise to her, as happened when she was in the zone.  She controlled the muzzle rise with the practice her mother had drilled into her and absorbed the recoil of the heavy calibre rifle by the same schooled reflex.  She saw the shot hit the heavy scales of the small scavenger that had just begun to eat the plants.  Then, eyes wide, watched the shot ricochet off the armored bug.  She heard it hit something to her left and the world went white as an explosion tossed her through the air.  Crap, Da’s gonna frea… she thought before her impact with a large and unyielding object ended that train of thought.

Conall Shepard was silently cursing the over engineered circuitry of the Ariake tech omni tool as he worked on the harvester’s main control unit. Frankly I’d prefer a wrench to this…

-CRACK-

-ping-

-hiss-

-BOOM-

At the crack of the rifle Conall had ducked, at the ping he stayed down, at the hiss he rolled under the harvester, but after the explosion he was up and running.

“LILIAS!” he shouted as he rounded the corner of the shed, working up a truly epic rage.  A rage which evaporated into the kind of terror only a parent can feel when he saw the small form crumpled against the grain silo.  He ran faster, calling up the com on his omni tool.  Speaking in clipped flat tones,  “Colony Ops, this is Conall Shepard.  Take a fix on my location and dispatch a medical team, there’s been an explosion…” skidding to a halt and sinking to his knees well short of his daughter as he saw the blue glow of the dust covering her, “and a decon team, heavy eezo exposure.”

He killed the connection spoke and half to himself, half to the unconscious girl he couldn’t approach, “Hold on just a little while longer, just hold on…”

\----

Some hours later he stood in a side room of the prefab structure that served the young colony as a hospital.  They’d been in luck that an Alliance cruiser, the SSV London, had stopped for her captain to visit the colony administrator.   They’d heard the distress call and landed their medical team in minutes, and their hard-suited Marines had been able to approach and begin decontamination before the colony med team had even launched. Even that may have been…, he stopped himself, You’ll go crazy thinking like that Conall Shepard.  She’s going to live, concentrate on that.  A voice was speaking, and he made an effort to hear.

“... are broken, should heal fine in a few weeks.” the speaker was a young woman with an upper class British accent, her name started with a K was it?  Maybe a C?  He’d ask later.  She paused, “Mr. Shepard, are you alright? I’m not sure you’ve heard a word I’ve said after I told you she was stable.”

Conall sighed, “I’m fine Doctor, relieved more than you know.  But we both know with medigel, regen, the natural stubbornness of a teenager, well I’m not worried about her physically now.”, he drew a deep breath, “What about the exposure.”

The doctor closed her mouth on the automatic platitudes. “Sit,” she pointed at a couch.  When he complied, she took a seat on the other end, facing him. “I’m going to give you my best answer.  I don’t know.”  She held up a hand at his expression and continued, “I don’t know because I’ve never seen anyone survive this kind of exposure at all, let alone with other injuries.  When the bullet hit the grain shuttle’s fuel cell, the entire drive core was turned into powder.  And it seems mostly went right into your daughter’s face.”

She sighed, “In the short term, I’m only certain that she’ll live.  The Marines got the exterior contamination off of her quickly, so her overall radiation dose was not lethal.  However she ingested at least some pure eezo dust.  And given her uterine expos..”  

Conall rose to his feet, yelling “What?  How do you know…”

The doctor rose and put her hand on his shoulder, “I know because its my job to know, and because its in both her medical file and the official documentation on ‘accidental’ element zero exposures.”  They both sat back down. “Look, I know this is a sensitive topic to you.  I know your wife was unable to have more children due to the exposure.  You’re going to have to face the possibility that Lilias will survive her injuries and develop other conditions later.  We simply can’t know until something actually happens.  We still are unsure as to what causes some people to develop tumors, some to be unaffected, and others…” she tailed off, unwilling to state the third possibility.  Biotics weren’t precisely second class citizens, nor were their any official rulings that placed them in ‘protective care’, but there were ugly rumors of disappearances.

Before she could resume speaking, the door banged open and a short, angry, red headed woman barged into the room shouting.  She was trailed by a marine nursing what seemed to be a newly broken nose.  She stopped a few feet away and continued her tirade, “...YOUR FUCKING GUTS AS A BELT DEARY, NOW WHERE’S MY…”  She stopped as Conall grasped her by the shoulders.

“She’s going to live,” he shook her gently to get her attention, “just an explosion.  Nothing serious enough to take our stubborn girl down.”

She looked at him for a long moment, seeing that he wasn’t saying everything and nodded, turning to the marine.  “I’m sorry about the nose...”

The marine started to reply and was interrupted by the doctor. “Perhaps I’m the one you should apologize to,” she said with smile “I’m the one who’ll have to set that break in a moment.”  She turned to the bleeding man, “Crosby, step outside and have my orderly put some gauze in there.  I’ll be with you shortly.”

She turned back to the parents and held out her hand, “Doctor Karin Chakwas, Alliance Medical, you must be Nicohl Shepard.”  As the woman took her hand, she guided everyone back to seats and resumed her explanation.  “As I was telling your husband, we honestly don’t know what the long term effects will be on Lilias now that we’ve got the initial damage under control.  She’ll live, muscle and bone will heal.  Beyond that...  What you can do for her now is monitor her for changes and keep your local doctor informed.”  She looked down for a moment and lowered her voice, “I can’t say for sure, but its possible, given previous exposure and her lack of damage from that, she may develop at least some biotic abilities and after what I saw of the old training program, well I don’t want that child taken from you or hurt,” a small smile “after all I did just put quite a bit of work into her.” She took a slip of paper from her pocket and pressed it into Conall’s palm.  “You’ll need an encrypted com, I’ll leave one in her room for you.  If she starts showing signs, contact this group before you do anything else, please.  He… They’re not official, and they’re military, but they’ll move heaven and hell to protect a child from exploitation.”

She stood and spoke in a more normal tone, “I need to prepare my medical report for the local staff, but I’ll be on planet for at least another day to monitor her condition before I let the captain break orbit.  If you have any questions or need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask.”  She turned walked to the door calling out, “Crosby, let me have a look at that break before you…

\------

Later that night, both parents sat in chairs wedged into the small room.  Overcrowded with beeping equipment and hospital bed, there was just barely sufficient room for the nurse to make her hourly checks. 0200 Nicohl read silently from the clock. I haven’t been up this late since before she was eating solid food.  She looked over at her husband who’d finally fallen asleep in his chair.  The poor thing was worried he’d done something wrong, missed something he should have prevented.  It was my fault for being in the mountains training their militia, not being there to keep an eye on…  Just for a moment she could hear her old first sergeant, Sergeant Karsten, addressing her after a failed training assignment.  “Shepard, you identified what went wrong, now let it go.  You dwell on that and you’re not just going to get yourself killed, you might get me killed.  And that would be annoying.”  Right sarge, gotta let it go.

She moved closer to the bed and was in time to catch it when the instrument and gel covered figure’s eyes fluttered open.

\----

Ow, that was her first coherent thought.  Closely followed by, Why can’t I move or, fuck, see?

Right, eyes closed.  First problem.  Lilias opened her eyes to see a dark room and many blinking lights.  So, not at home then.  Guessing I was more than a little banged up.

“Ow”, she said testing her voice.  It came out in a hoarse whisper, bringing an immediate response from the figure she could now see leaning over the bed.

“Ow?” her mother teased with a smile made less than perfect by tears, “this from the girl who broke her leg playing three klicks up the mountain, splinted it herself, hobbled back and never even asked for an aspirin?”

Lilias thought for a moment, cleared her throat and said, “Mum, if it won’t ruin my image, I’ll take that aspirin now.”

 


	3. The Raid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take one well raised kid. Add personal tragedy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.
> 
> This one is quite a bit longer. Lemme know if I should have split it up a bit.

**Shepard Homestead**

**Mindoir, 2170**

Lilias Shepard looked at her parents across the table and asked, “So what’s so important I had to drop my homework?  I was trying to get done early, Sandy Johnson’s parents may actually let her out… guys, you look way too serious.  You’re worrying me.” She stopped, confused by their silence.

Her father, looking grave, asked, “Lilias, tell me about the headaches.  Be honest this time.”

Crap, busted. she thought.  Aloud, “Look its nothing serious, I just had a bit of a migraine last week.  An hour in a nice dark room and I was fine.  Really.”  She tried to sound and look convincing, the problem was she didn’t believe it herself.  Breaking the first rule of lying to your parents there, believe the lie if you want them to buy it.  And it didn’t look like they did, but she’d had enough of the endless brain scans and tests for the year after the accident.  I’d lie to St. Michael himself it would keep me out of the hospital again.

Conall started to speak, but was interrupted by Nicohl.  “Sweetie, I’d be willing to let the occasional headache go if there weren’t, other factors.  Your friends tried to keep it quiet but there are rumors.”  her mother’s tone firmed, taking on a note of command, “A little over a month ago, tell me what happened the night Sandy fell from the roof.”

Lilias looked down at her hands, twisting a napkin, “I don’t really know completely.  She’d just beaten my test scores, again, she was so happy bouncing.  I was so mad at her, I just wanted to shut her up.  I didn’t even know then why I did it until later I guess.”

“Did what Lil.” Her mother said in an oddly clipped tone.

“Kissed her.” Lillias practically whispered.

“I’m sorry, what?” her father asked.

“I grabbed her and kissed her, all right?” she yelled. Huh, actually felt good to get that one out there.

“Lil, I know about the kiss, and given how you and Sandy have been acting since you were 14 I was just waiting for the two of you to figure it out.  Your on again, off again, will they/won’t they friendship has been the subject of several coffees shared with her mother.  I’d actually expected that a year and a half back which means her mom wins the bet, dammit.  Never thought you’d turn out shy like that.  That’s not what I meant.” Nicohl paused. “Tell me what happened after.”

Her father still looked a bit stunned.  Was he mad?  Lilias cleared her throat unnecessarily.  “Um, Dad, you ok?”

He shook his head and grinned, “Oh, yes, fine.  Just wondering why I wasn’t informed you were off kissing people.  I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have to deal with that uncomfortable topic until I was happily well into my senile years.”

She smiled back, “Well, the school course is pretty informative these days.  If you like I can message you the relevant details?” She moved to activate her omni tool but was waved back by her father.

“Ha, ha, funny.  We’ll talk about dating rules later.  For now, quit dodging your Mother’s question.  What happened after you kissed her.” he said more seriously.

Damn, worth a try.  “It was my own stupid fault, we were hanging out on the roof of the barn, away from the silo where, well you know.  And after, well after I ambushed her I guess, she took a step back.  I was just enjoying the surprised look on her face when she slipped.  If I’d been watching or if I’d been closer...”

“Don’t dwell on mistakes kiddo,” her mother stopped her guilt train. “Trust me, I know of what I speak.  What happened after she fell.”

Lilias looked back down at the slowly shredding napkin back in her hands, “All I could think of was how much I wanted to catch her.  And I don’t know what hurt worse.  Watching her fall, knowing I’d… I’d hurt someone I cared about, or the burning in my head and hands.”  She looked up, “I swear I didn’t do it on purpose. I just wanted to keep her from getting hurt.” She continued in a rush “And I did, I stopped her fall.  I felt her, the ground, the tree, gravity itself.  Its hard to describe, like seeing a taste or tasting a color.  And then I saw the blue glow.  And then I screamed and fainted.”  she looked up “Am I going to be taken away?  I hear rumors, Sandy was so worried about protecting me she made up a story and our other friends went along...”  I won’t cry dammit.  I trust my parents, they won’t let anything happen.

Her parents looked at each other and her father spoke, trying to soften what he had to say with some humor.  “Lil, we won’t let anyone hurt you, but this changes some things.  You’ve always been a special kid.  Smart, tough - everything expected out of a Shepard.  You’re just overachieving in the talent department again.”

Her mother took her hands “Lilias Shepard, what your father is trying to tell you is that you need help.  If you don’t get it you’ll hurt yourself or someone else and you’re too responsible to let that happen.” Nicohl looked at her husband and back to her daughter, “Two years ago, the alliance doctor who treated you after the accident gave us a contact.  Just a com code really, but someone who she said could help.  Someone she trusted.  We won’t make the decision for you, but if you think you’re ready to talk to someone who knows what’s happening to you…  well you’ll have to make the call.  We decided that very night we wouldn’t make this decision for you.”

Her father stood and removed a case from the closet behind him.  “Lil, this is an encrypted Alliance com unit with FTL com buoy protocols.  At first I didn’t understand why Doctor Chakwas would say we needed it for just a com call, then I spent a small fortune through an information broker and found that this,” he handed her a slip with a string of characters written on it, “ is an encrypted Alliance military routing code.  Whoever it connects you to is connected to something big, that’s all they could tell me.”

She looked up at him, “This is the code the doctor gave you?  The people she said would help?”  He nodded.  “Well, then, I guess I should give them a call.”

\------

She didn’t right away of course.  There was an obligatory hour of unneeded dating advice and threats that her father would come after her if she hurt Sandy’s feelings in some way, which seemed odd, weren’t fathers supposed to be overprotective of their own daughters?  Then her parents left her with the com unit and the routing code.

Since her accident two years before, she’d started spending more time out in the wilder areas away from the farm and other homesteads alone. Her excursions were an extension of the time she’d spent wandering the mountains with her mother.  Years before, mum had decided that any child of hers living “out in the back of beyond” as she put it, should be able to pass the marine recon survival course.  Her mom never called it that, but Lilias was smart and had access to the colony databases.  She’d compared some of the “camping trips” to marine recon “training exercises” and found a startling number of similarities.  She was fairly certain other kids didn’t spend school holiday’s setting up and checking supply caches or being tossed around a training mat by their Mums.

Given all of that, it didn’t take her long to come to a decisions of where she needed to go to think.  She left a note on the kitchen table.

Mum, Da,

Thanks for being understanding and giving me space.  I’m headed out to the pond to think things over before I call that number.  I’ll be back in a day or so, I’ve got my bush kit so don’t worry.

Love Lil

 

When she arrived at her spot, she didn’t sleep, she’d set up her tent and put her bike under cover, but then she’d sat up all night.  Just watching the stars, wondering what it might be like to show Sandy this place.  She’d never brought anyone else up here before.  Before she really knew that the time had passed, the day broke over the lake she’d nicknamed “the pond”, in a spray of orange that took her breath away.    Stop that, before you know it you’ll be calling her and going all gooey.  Call this Alliance group before you lose your nerve.

The unit seemed pretty straight forward, just like the other things her mother had trained her to use, built for ham fisted grunts she supposed.  She powered it up, and punched in the long code.  The unit sat for some time considering the code then displayed. CONNECTING… on a repeating loop.  Almost 5 minutes later a serious looking man appeared in the small screen.

“Commander Anderson speaking.  Since you’re on this channel its important, get to it.”  He paused a moment realizing he was addressing a teenager, a pale and shaky looking one at that.

“Sir,” Lilias started hesitantly “My parents were given this com code by a Dr Karin Chakwas and she had told…”

“Hold on a moment.” he interrupted, “Shepard?  Lilias Shepard, that right?”

“Yes sir.  Sir…” she started only to be interrupted again.

“You don’t have to call me sir, child.  You can call me David, or Anderson if I’ve done something stupid.” he smiled.  It didn’t look totally natural on him.

“Ah, ok.  Um, well, it turns out that…”  And she told him her story.  All the way back to the accident.  She didn’t leave anything out, somehow it seemed like glossing over something with this person would be bad.  He just listened.

“And so that’s it, like my mum said, I need help sir, I mean David.”

He considered her from the screen for a moment.  “You’re holding up better than I would I think.  Yes I can help you, I have some contacts working in the L3 program and on a school for advanced studies.  Studies including biotics.”  He paused. “Have to do this quick though, I haven’t liked what I’ve heard of some of the competing programs.  I’ll get travel authorization cleared through to Arcturus.  You and your parents will have to get a shuttle and meet me there.  We’ll transfer from there to Elysium, then we should have some breathing spa..”

For a moment the world was washed out white, like she remembered from her accident.  Reflexively she hunched over and shielded her eyes.

“SHEPARD!” she heard the higher volume call from the com unit and looked over to it. “What the hell is happening there?”

“Bright light, I thought it was an explosion but..”  she looked out over the ridge toward the colony center, “Oh my god, they’re gone...all…”  She started to sink to her knees until a voice barked at her.

“Shepard! On your feet.  I need to you point the com unit that way.”  she obeyed, angling the pickup toward the growing mushroom cloud.  “Damn, kinetic strike.  Look at me,” she turned the pickup back, “I’ve seen raids like this.  They’ve hit central nodes with kinetic strikes and they’ll be following with troops to round up people.  Slavers.”  she could see him punching buttons outside the pickup’s field.  He looked to the side. “Lieutenant, get me a connection to the duty officer, slavers are hitting Mindoir.”

He looked back at her. “We have to keep you safe, I won’t leave the com until we have someone there - do you understand me?”  she nodded, numb. “Good.  In the base of the unit is a repeater antenna and earbud.  Shutdown the vid and put up the antenna, we need to save some power.”

“I can help with that,” she said, taking the unit over to her bike. “If its a standard charge port… there.  Should be good for days on my bike’s fuel cell.  I need the com more than I need the transport.”

“Good thinking,” Anderson’s voice, now in her ear, replied. “Now I’m going to talk you through this, but those slavers will be hitting any population centers rounding people up.”

Shock was starting to wear off, “God, my parents, Sandy, my friends I have to get down there and war...”  she was interrupted by another order.

“Shepard, you’ll do no such thing! Unless you want to end up in a cage on your way to gods know what.” Andersons voice was firm.

“I can’t just leave them!” her voice was pleading.

“Lilias, listen to me.  They probably know more than you think about what’s happening, but even if they didn’t you wouldn’t get back in time.  I’m going to have a hard enough time talking you through a quickie e and e course”

“Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape.  Shall I take you through the Evade checklist?” she interrupted.

“If you’ve had that level of training, you know what I’m saying is true.  We need to get you under cover from air patrols and move you closer to where we can effect pickup.  Do you understand?” the last question was almost gentle.

“Understand and will comply.” she replied in a defeated tone.

But no one said I can’t evade towards the farm, I can even argue it as a good idea - I’ve got more potential hides there.

\----

Anderson kept one ear on Shepard’s channel while he fed information to the flotilla.    They had already launched but they were three relay hops and hours of sublight out from the colony. He’d been listening to Shepard’s flat, factual, hourly reports for 9 hours now.  Textbook perfect from the “maintain contact in accordance with instructions from combat search and rescue” section of the marine survival in hostile territory guide.  He’d had time to find her mother’s service record and now knew exactly where her training had come from.

A lieutenant popped up in his office door, “Sir, the task group is hitting the relay in ten minutes. “

“Task Group?  I thought all we had on hand were a few frigates, what changed?” Anderson demanded.

The lieutenant straightened, “Sir, I thought someone told you, the SSV Einstein’s carrier group was within com range.  They’ll be joining up at the second relay and leading the way in.”

“Thank god, some good news.” Activating his pickup, he clicked this call button three times.

Minutes later a tired voice came over his earpiece.  “This is Shepard, I’m secure at the moment, go ahead.”

“Home stretch girl, the cavalry is only a few hours out.” he tried to sound less tired than he was.  He could only imagine how tired a teenager, no matter how well trained, was.

\------

Andersons voice came over the earpiece. “Home stretch girl, the cavalry is a few hours out.”

Lilias, looking through her binoculars at the shuttles landing and taking off from different homesteads, replied “In few hours it will be all over, Anderson.”

She was distracted, over the past 9 hours she’d pushed recklessly fast down the mountain toward her family’s home.  She’d nearly been caught twice, but she’d made it to just outside the livestock fence near the main complex.  She could see the main house and barns smouldering.  Her home had been burned, to the ground it seemed.   I don’t see any movement, could be good or bad, need to get closer.  She looked around considering sightlines from the site of the main house.  Ah, the number three drainage ditch, lets see…

Thirty minutes later she slithered up the side of the ditch and slowly raised her head over the edge to see.  It was as bad as she feared, her home - everything she’d known was gone. Maybe Anderson was right though, Mum always had a backup pla…  The light shifted and she could see shapes hanging from the frame of the barn.   She was out of the ditch and running before they’d even registered in her consciousness.

\-----

Anderson was jolted by a sound from his earpiece, the sort of sound you hear all too often if your job involves killing.  The wordless sounds of grief and agony.

“Shepard, what…” he started to say into the com and changed his mind “Lilias, what’s happening.” he continued as gently and calmly as he could.

There was a break in the sobbing, a sound of an indrawn breath, “My family, they’re dead, Anderson, they’re “ her voice broke off into more sobs, punctuated by repeating the same words.

After a few minutes he could hear a voice in the background, several of them.  “Shepard, you have to move, I can hear…”

\-------

“Shepard, you have to move, I can hear...”

Anderson’s warning came too late, she looked up from her mother’s mangled body to see four batarians standing around her, grinning.  The lead sneered and said, “Excellent, ones this age are worth something in the markets, if they’re not damaged too badly.  Get up, human.”

Lilias stood over her parent’s bodies and faced the four slavers.  “Drop that rifle and we won’t hurt you.” the leader laughed crudely “Much.”

She let the rifle slip to the ground, a cold feeling spreading in her mind.  The pain was already changing, being pushed aside by something else. She could distantly hear Anderson’s voice on the com urging her to play along.  She just had to hold out for a few hours until they’d be there.  She ignored the voice.

She looked looked up at the batarian who spoke and, in a coldly analytical tone said, “You’ve three mistakes batarian.”  While they laughed she held up a hand and began to count.  “One, you presumed that you were able to strike fast enough to prevent an Alliance naval response.  Two, you presumed I care about being hurt.”

“You said three human,” the leader jeered at her, “or can’t you count?”

A blue glow had begun to rise on her left hand, an orange on her right.  As the light began to dawn on the slavers and they reached for their weapons, the blue glow shot into the only one armed with a rifle.  His chest exploded from the inside out.

She moved then, lunging toward the slavers flanking their leader, omni blade machete extended.

\-----

Anderson heard the fight over his com, heard the sounds of gunfire and at least two rounds striking flesh, accompanied by pained grunts from Shepard.  Along the way he heard three screams punctuated by an unmistakable axe into a melon sound. That’s when Shepard spoke again.

\-----

She looked at the last batarian.  The group’s leader was on his knees clutching his missing hand, trying to reach his com, avoid bleeding out and go for another weapon at the same time.  Her voice was still analytical, but harsh with pain from her wounds when she finally spoke.  “Three, you presumed that I was unarmed without my rifle.”  She smiled then, and his scream started before she reached him with the blade.

\-----

Anderson had heard this sound before as well, it was the sound of someone dying hard and slow.  It felt like an hour to him, but his crono showed it only took Shepard 3 minutes to kill the last batarian.

Finally her voice came back  over the com.  “Anderson?”

“Its alright Shepard, just hold on.” He replied.

A sob punctuated by a wet cough came over the earpiece. “I got them Anderson, but I don’t think my Mum would have approved…” her voice trailed off.  Anderson recognized the signs of blood loss and exhaustion.

“Don’t die on me Shepard, helps too close for you to give up.  Stay awake.  Tell me where you are so I can give the pilot directions.”  Anything to keep her awake, talking.

“Com’s on Anderson, you don’t need directions.” there was a pause for a cough, “You’re just trying to keep me awake.  I’ve read the same manual.”

Dammit, this one’s good, we can’t lose her. “Ok, you got me.  So stay awake, tell me something else.” he said aloud.

“Fine, you remember that story about the barn roof?  The girl Sandy?”, she replied.

“Yes.” He’d tried so hard not to even chuckle when she’d told the story, its not like his love life had been substantially better.

“My first kiss.  Went about as well as everything else so far in my life.  I was hoping to get chance for another chance without the falling tonight, then batarians invade.”  her voice slowed. “I saved her with this power I’ve got, I killed one of the batarians with it.  Power of life and death in one person’s hands.  How can anyone really be ready...”

“Wait,” his voice surprised,”you killed one of the batarians with your biotics?” With no amp? No training? She must be frighteningly powerful.

“Yeah.  I’d tried reading up on things, wanted to know what to expect.  Came across an Asari extranet site explaining warp fields.” she stopped for a coughing fit, two of the more terrifying minutes in his life when she didn’t start back up immediately.  “I figured I couldn’t produce the fine level of control but he wasn’t wearing a barrier or armor.  So I just pulled, pushed and then let go.  Then he pretty much exploded.” she sighed heavily, “Could be why I’m so tired, I don’t think I’ve lost that much blood.  No wait, I have.  Wow, that’s a disturbingly large puddle...”  she trailed off.

“Shepard!  Dammit, talk to me!” he shouted, there was no reply, just the open carrier on the com.

He switched to the com on his desk.  “Astrogation, give me a status and ETA to Mindoir, there’s a medical emergency.”

The com on his desk blinked with the text report, but a voice from CIC came up before he could read it.  “Commander Anderson, Sir, SSV Einstein made the relay ahead of schedule and punched her shuttles the moment she could.  Shuttles are hitting atmosphere in less than 5 minutes.”

“Outstanding, they may still be able to save some lives.  Forwarding a com frequency and coordinates.  Get one of the teams to it, there’s a survivor to pick up, take her directly to sickbay.”  Anderson punched the disconnect and ran for the lift.  He needed to be on the Einstein when she arrived.

\-------

The stretcher was covered in medigel packs and emergency medical equipment.  It looked like they had three IV’s running at least.  Anderson caught a glimpse of the pale face he first saw what felt like a week ago as the team ran by shouting to clear a path.  God, it was only 17 hours since her first call.

A marine lieutenant sat on the shuttle ramp, helmet on the ground, head in his hands, sobbing. Anderson trotted over.

“Lieutenant?” he asked. “Son, can you hear me.”  There was no reply beyond the sobbing.  [Lieutenant Zabaleta](http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Lieutenant_Zabaleta), the name read on his suit.

“Zabaleta!” Anderson barked out, “Report, marine!”

The lieutenant looked up, but no coherent words came out.  He was clearly in shock.  Anderson watched as the rest of the shuttle's passengers offloaded.  He stopped a sergeant in dented and scorched armor, "Sargent, I need to  know what you saw down there."

The woman nodded and moved over to sit on a cargo pod, cradling a clearly broken arm. "Sir, it was bad, worst I've seen in a long time.  I'd rather fight the birds any day."  She closed her eyes and leaned back.  "We'd dropped in with the first wave of shuttles.  Turns out we arrived just as the slavers were pulling back.  You could see the cages, the pods.  Hear the shots and screams.  We tried pushing their perimeter, but they had deployed heavy weapons from the shuttles.  Got busted up by a rocket that hit the CP."  She opened her eyes to look at Anderson now.  "That's when we got the call about your girl.  We were loading up a shuttle with the wounded and got a call to swing by the coords and pick up any survivors."  She paused.  "Sir, who is she?  When we got there, it was nothing but burned out prefabs, bodies, and blood.  Four of the batarians, all dead.  One looked like he'd been hit by an M-100, with no burn marks.  Two of them looked like omni blade hits, clean ones - chest and throat.  The last one." She swallowed, took a breath. "I only think he was a batarian from the gear and blood color.  There wasn't much else left to go on." She looked away towards the door the med team had used. "Then there was that girl.  Pretty, maybe 35 kilos dripping wet.  Hit twice, some kind of shotgun I think.  Would have thought she was just another corpse, 'till I saw her breathing.  Curled into a ball between two bodies, both badly mangled."  She looked back at Anderson.  "She didn't make any noise when the medic started to hit the wounds with the gel, but she screamed and fought when we tried to pull her away from the bodies.  The medic had to hit her with a sedative.  Sir, she should have been unconscious from blood loss alone"

Anderson unclenched his jaw, trying to control his anger and shame at being too late for another family.  He didn't agree with the Alliance policy of light colony garrisons. "Her parents, she was up in the mountains when they hit the colony.  She had called me..." He stopped, unsure of how to explain the call.

The sargent lowered her voice, "Shit sir, any fool could see from what happened that she's a biotic.  And my ass has been saved too many times now by a barrier to complain.  I've heard the rumors about you, Chakwas and Sanders helping those kids.  I'll keep my mouth shut, so'll my team.  We'll just say it was a colony transmitter station she was at."

Anderson nodded, "Thanks sargent, long ago I learned to just go along when your NCO's make a suggestion.  Anyway, I spent the past half day or so on a com with her while she, it seems, completely ignored me and went right back to find her parents.  Dodging slaver corral patrols and recon flights the whole way."

She nodded, then continued, louder now, "She's going to need help, sir.  No one sees that, or does that, without more scars than the guns left."

"I know" Anderson replied, "I'd planned on bringing her to the fleet base, and getting an authorization for an early academy entry.  Now, I'm not sure how to help her."

"You never answered my question, sir.  Who is she." the sargent shrugged, wincing as her arm moved. "She may not be in a uniform now, but damned if most Recon troops would have packed it in on that one.  Where'd that come from?"

"Her mother."  Anderson replied, he'd looked up the file during the long hours on the com, "Marine LT, scout sniper, she was in one of the ground units liberating Shanxi.  Kid's name is Shepard, Lilias Shepard."

"Wait, her mother's name Nicohl right?" at Anderson's nod, she yelled, "Shit!"  and stood suddenly activating her omni tool com.  

"Get me Sergeant Major Karsten, get him right fucking now! No, tell him we found Shepard's daughter down there.  Then let him decide if I need to be reamed a new one or you do for asking stupid questions." She waited and seconds later, "Smaj?  No, I'm not fucking high or joking.  We found her, she's alive and more her mother's daughter than anything else if you ... No, both dead. ... Einstein’s sickbay now.  She's in surgery, hit bad, doc’s not sure she’ll make it.  Stubborn, dangerous little bitch from what I got of the story.  I hope she pulls through, I like her already...  No, with Commander Anderson... wilco, out here."

Anderson had waited patiently during the call, but spoke up now.  "Wanna tell me what the hell just happened?"

The sergeant smiled for the first time, "Well sir, I think we just solved your problem of what to do with her. Sergeant Major Karsten wants you to meet him in sickbay when she's out of surgery.“

"Why?"

"He's Lilias Shepard's godfather."

\-------

It had been said, not without some reason, that Sergeant Major Victor Karsten closely resembled a boulder when wearing armor.  That was never more true than now as he stood at parade rest, silently watching through the window into the surgical suite.  A team of medtechs, led by a tall blonde woman, was working to save Shepard’s life.  He hadn't seen the girl in five years, since his last visit to Mindoir.  He remembered a smiling kid, as happy painting as she was popping cans with his old M6.  She’d spent endless hours listening to him prattle on about old war stories, training missions. Never gave the impression that it bored her.  She’d been blessed with the compassion and patience of her father and the energy and precise skill of her mother.  Hard to hold onto that memory seeing her like this.

What kind of universe would do this to a kid like her.  She never hurt anyone on purpose, always owned up to her mistakes. Over the years, Karsten had boiled all of the complex philosophies he’d heard down to “Try not to cause harm unless you have to, and admit it when you screw up.”  Nichol’s kid had always tried to live up to that.  I knew she was a good kid, better than I was at that age, the real miracle was that she’d seemed to bring Nicohl some peace finally.  Now I have to…

“Credit for your thoughts Sergeant Major.” Anderson said from behind him.

Karsten didn’t reply for a few moments.  When he did, he didn’t turn from his watch over the girl who’d become his responsibility.  “I was just trying to figure out how I’m going to handle her.”

“She’s going to have problems, and there are factors you need to be aware of.” Anderson replied, stepping to his side.

“Factors, sir?” Karsten, glanced at Anderson and raised a craggy eyebrow.

“Biotic” was Anderson’s one word reply.

Karsten nodded.  That would complicate things.  “I’ve heard you know some people who can help.” he said after a moment.

“I’ve given it some thought.  My first plan won’t work now.  What happened down there is going to leak, at least to ONI.  That, and she’ll have to tell some of it to someone if we’re going to save her sanity.”  Anderson sighed, “It’s not perfect and it's against everything I’d suggest for someone who’s been what she’s been through, but I can only see one way through now.  We need put her in uniform.”

“What?  No, sir, no…”

“Damnit, think it though.  She’s going to need an implant and training to avoid hurting herself.  And she’s going to need help, serious help, dealing with this.  Medical issues, mental issues.  Now, where else will she get all of that and be surrounded by people who know.  People who really know what it was like, people who will understand when she won’t sit with her back to a window.  When she gets the shakes for no reason, or when she has to fight not to break the wrist of someone who taps her on the shoulder.”  Anderson looked at him levelly, “People like you and I, others who’ve killed up close.  You want to just send her to high school on Elysium?  And I’m not saying we just enlist her and hope.”

Anderson turned his gaze to the surgical suite. “I’m owed a few favors.  Hackett will help me get her into the academy.  That and a biotic course will keep her occupied for five years.  Give you time to work with her.”  he looked back to Karsten, “And we need people like her.  There are things out there that hate humans.  We need someone to stand between places like Mindoir and those that seek to destroy them.  From what I’ve seen it may be what she was born for.”

“If she lives.”

“Yes, if she lives.  But I refuse to believe she won’t, and that brings me to something I need from you now.” Anderson held out a datapad, “You’re her legal guardian now.  We need your signoff to perform surgery unrelated to her wounds.”

“You want to have them put the implant in now?  Isn’t that dangerous?” Karsten demanded.

“It is, but we have a window of opportunity to ‘accidentally’ put in safer hardware than those poor kids at jump zero got.  Prototype stuff, some Asari input on the design to work more naturally with the user. Going to be called the L3.”  Anderson pointed to the tall woman, “Doctor Karin Chakwas.  Coincidentally she’s treated Shepard before, but more importantly was on the design board for the L3”

Karsten pressed his thumb to the datapad, which acknowledged receipt with a beep.

  
\------

It wasn’t like any other time she’d been hurt, and there’d been a number of those.  This time Lilias couldn’t quite remember what had happened.  Every time she tried it was like her own brain was running away from her.  Pain in various parts of her body, mixed with a fog that overlayed every attempt at capturing moments of awareness.  Fading in and out.  Hearing voices, but never the words.  Sometimes almost waking up, to the feeling knives were being inserted in her brain, only to fade right back to darkness.

Eventually, the fog cleared away, replaced by a gentle warmth.  The sharp aches and pains faded to the dullness of healing, she remembered that feeling well.  Definitely drugged to the gills was the first coherent thought she’d had in days.  Then she remembered.  The memory that served her so well in school and lessons from her parents betrayed her now.  In a rush she remembered every moment.  The attack, the endless hours of evasion, returning home to find their...

\----

The scream from the medbay brought the duty tech running, but when he saw the patient’s face understanding dawned and he slowed.  There was nothing he could do about this.  The chart said additional sedatives were off the table.  He punched up his com, “Doctor Chakwas, Sergeant Major Karsten, to the medical bay immediately.”

\------

By the time Anderson and Karsten arrived from his office, the screaming had stopped.  The only sounds now were the quiet beeps and whirs of the medbay systems, overlaid with muffled sobbing.  Doctor Chakwas sat on the edge of the bed, the only place the arms around her waist would let her be, as the young woman grieved.

Anderson stopped just inside the doorway, not quite sure how to help.  Karsten continued to the opposite side of the bed and said nothing, simply placed a large scarred hand on Shepard’s shoulder.  It took several minutes for Shepard to notice that the hand hadn’t moved, that it wasn’t one more medtech checking on her.  She turned her head from Chakwas’ side and saw Karsten finally.  When his face registered she moved surprisingly fast for someone injured and partly sedated.  With a choked cry of “Victor!” she changed the target of her grip to his arm while she sobbed “We left them..” over and over.

“Shh, its alright Lil, its going to be fine.” Karsten tried to interject, but she responded by shifting her grip to the front of his uniform tunic and hauling herself upright.  

Grunting with the effort and not a small amount of pain she ground out, “No. It. Is. Not. FINE.  WE LEFT THEM DOWN THERE.”

“No” Karsten said gently, “I’ve seen to it.  While you were in surgery. Their re.., they’re secure.  One deck down.”  With his free hand he pried her loose from his uniform and lowered her sagging body back to the bed.  “Rest..”

Shepard’s expression changed from an angry sort of urgency back to anguish as she wept, “I’m really alone now aren’t I.  They’re all gone down there.”

Karsten sat, reaching over to squeeze Shepard’s shoulder. “In a very real, legal sense that isn’t true Lilias.  Your parent’s set it up not long after you were born, if anything were to happen to them - you’d be cared for.  In this case, by me.”  Shepard’s weeping slowed, and he continued, “But you need to understand that even if that weren’t true - even if they’d left no contingencies - I’d be here, and so would he, “ he pointed to Anderson, “and her.” pointing at Chakwas.  “We’d be here for you because as tough as you are, you’ll need someone, and despite what cynical news vids would have you believe there are people who just want to help.  Also, because your mother was one of us.  And we never abandon our own.  So cry as you need to, grieve for the lost of Mindoir, but you are not and will never be truly alone.”  He lifted his hand and laid it on her head. “For now rest, we will be here when you wake.”

\------

The shuttle bay was quiet, except for the ever present hum of the ship’s drive and occasional click from a ventilation cover.  Two plain coffins sat near the main doors.  Four people stood near them, in the dim glow of the deck lights.  Three of them, taller and in uniform, stood half a pace back from the fourth.  A long haired, pale girl in a hospital gown and robe.  She leaned on an IV stand that was still plugged into her arm.

Shepard looked at coffins housing what had been her parents less than three days before in silence.  She’d run out of tears long since and a brittle silence had descended on her.  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “Open them.” there was a firm note of command in her tone.

Karsten started a little at her tone.  For a moment I could have sworn that was her mother talking.  Aloud now, “Are you sure?”

Shepard let out a harsh snort, “I’ve seen them already.  Open them.”  She drew herself up and stepped closer to the coffins. “And give me a knife.”

Anderson and Chakwas looked worried and startled.  Karsten only nodded and activated his omnitool to unlock the containers, then took a clasp knife from his pocket and passed it to Shepard after she finished lifting the lids.

She stood between the open coffins and reached up to her hair, twisting its near waist length into a crude ponytail.  This only lasted for a moment as with her other hand she flicked open the blade and began to cut the thick bundle of hair free, the new short locks revealing a metal socket at the base of her skull.  Anderson’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.  Chakwas looked as if she were going to step forward, but stopped with her hand reaching part way towards the girl.

Dropping the knife to the deck, she carefully divided the thick brown bundle into two parts and leaning over each body in turn, wrapped one of the coils of hair around the right wrist of both.  Wincing with the effort she stooped to the deck and retrieved the knife, closing it.  Then, leaning heavily on the IV stand, she made her way back towards the elevator.  As she passed Karsten she spoke quietly, “I’m done here.” and handed him his knife.  She continued on to the elevator without looking back until after the doors closed.  As they closed behind her, she collapsed to the deck, letting the tears return.

Chakwas looked at the two soldiers and open coffins and spoke, “I don’t understand.”

Anderson said nothing, and stepped to the coffins to close the lids.  Karsten returned his knife to his pocket and answered.  “She’s saying that a part of her will always be right there,” he pointed to the coffins, “with the ones she’s lost.  Its the only thing she had left that was her’s to give them.”

\-----

Shepard had the bed adjusted so she could sit and use the computer console she’d requested.  The tech had granted her limited access and then went to assist with the wounded from the continuing operation on the planet below.  If Anderson, Karsten, or Chakwas would have had time to read her school work and aptitude tests, they would have locked her out completely.  Lilias Shepard possessed and she’d nearly acquired the credits required for undergraduate degrees in both plant biochemistry and computer science.  The second was purely because, she realized now, she wanted to spend more time around Sandy and that was her focus in school.  I can put that to use though.  Lets see, Andersons routing ID was encrypted but had to have contained his system ID…

Hours later, Anderson and Karsten came to visit and work out details of transferring her out of the ship’s medical bay.  As they approached, they could see that she was working at a console that was configured for image display and analysis.  They noticed she wasn’t touching the controls and the image hadn’t changed in a while.

She looked up from her screen when they came to the bed. She looked with a blank expression and said “I was just looking for information on some friends.”  Her hand reached up and slammed the console closed, and with a burst of energy she shoved the table over in a shower of sparks.  As they recoiled from the unexpected outbursts, she wrapped her arms around herself and looked down while she tried to regain some control.  Without looking up she spoke, barely above a whisper.  “Sandy didn’t make it either, along with her whole family.  Nine people.”  What she didn’t talk about was the picture she’d been staring at for an hour.  A girl’s body, bruised and bloody, on the floor of a cage.  Head roughly shaved on one side, bloody wound where they’d tried to implant the control device that had killed her.  She remembered that face, insufferably happy at her grades, scared of a storm, laughing at a shared joke and a look of wonder when she’d nearly died on the barn roof and been saved.  Remembered anger, grief when her grandfather had died.  Now Shepard would have to add the blank mask of death to how she remembered Sandy.  I never had time to figure out what we were.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and sat, resting her chin on her now crossed arms.  “What are you guys doing down here again?  How am I supposed to rest up and get out of here if you keep bothering me?”  She tried a smile.  I can’t let those images rule me.

Anderson smiled back, probably more than the joke was worth, and gestured at Karsten to answer.  Karsten, overly serious, said “Well, Doctor Chakwas tells me she needs the bed back and sent us down to evict you.” he sat in one of the chairs, “It actually is kind of true.  You’re healing well and its time we got on our transport.”

“Transport?” Shepard raised an eyebrow, “Where?”

“Earth, by way of Nical.   I’m transferring to an Earth side post,  I’ll let Anderson explain the rest.” Karsten passed the conversation back to the other man.

“Lilias part of our plan the whole time, before this attack happened, was to get you to a place where we could train you to control your biotics and keep you safe from less savory parties.”  Anderson paused a moment, when Shepard nodded he continued. “We’ve started on the first part already and getting you to Earth is the second part.”

As he spoke, she raised one hand to the implant socket at the base of her skull. “Doctor Chakwas explained why she put it in.  For what its worth, thanks.  Even if training goes nowhere, it's stopped my headaches.” She smiled more genuinely.  “Truly, thanks.  Sometimes you don’t realise how painful something was until it stops.”  Both Anderson and Karsten seemed to relax a bit at this. I think they were both afraid I’d be mad at them.

Anderson nodded, “So part two is to get you to Earth and enrolled in the Academy.” At her wide eyed expression he held up a hand, “Hold on.  I know you probably never considered it, and after talking to the Sergeant Major it was probably far from what your mother or father wanted.  However, there are several advantages.”  He began to tick them off on his fingers.  “First, top rate medical care and training - and the Alliance picks up the tab.  Second, the Sergeant Major and I will be in a position to arrange some quiet protection for you - at least until your biotics are trained.  A fully trained biotic needs little in the way of protection.  Third, excellent educational opportunities, again put on the Alliance’s tab.  And fourth, people who know what you’ve been through.  Maybe not exactly the same way, but people who’ve fought, killed and seen death up close.  They’ll be your instructors, counselors, hopefully friends, and eventually colleagues. So?  What do you think?”

Shepard looked at her godfather, who replied to her unvoiced question. “Its bad food, lousy pay, long hours, and getting shot at to defend people who will probably never understand why they need you.  Still, I think you’d be good at it.  You’ve seen what happens when there’s not someone there to get between the bad guys and civilians.”

She thought about that last image of Sandy, and turned her head back to Anderson, “Well, with that endorsement… where do I sign?”

 


	4. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take one broken teenager, add kindness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Aurolis, Lidanya Estate**

**Nical, 2171**

The blue glow faded and the singularity dissapeared with a pop and rush of displaced air.  The training mechs dropped to the ground in a clatter, and a soft voice behind Shepard spoke, clearly pleased.  “Well done Lilias.  Sit, drink something.  Its time we spoke.”

Shepard sat as directed, more than a little confused, which was pretty much her standard state for the past few months.  She hadn’t been exposed to many alien races on Mindoir and now she was living, for a time, on an Asari world.  By herself for a while as it happened, since Karsten had left for Earth weeks ago to prepare for her Academy entry.  She’d wondered why the Matriarch had taken her on as a student, finally she’d asked and been told only that she’d owed Anderson a favor.  

Asari methods, or at least Matriarch Lidanya’s way, of teaching were different than she’d expected.  Gentle suggestions rather than commands, use of mistakes as teaching opportunities rather than disciplinary actions.  She’d seen commands and discipline, the Matriarch was capable of it, she just didn’t use it with Shepard.  The only word she could think of was kindness, the Matriarch practically exuded it.  Though even through all of her kindness and patience, the Matriarch had never sacrificed her authority.  There’s a lesson there Lilias.   The odd thing was that in the months of working with the her, she’d learned more than she’d dreamed possible.  She just wasn’t sure if doing well was a mistake/opportunity or if another gentle suggestion was inbound.  She waited silently, polishing off another electrolyte drink while the Matriarch organized her thoughts.  She’d learned these detours sometimes took a while.

“Lilias, you’ve mastered your implant and amplifier’s basic functions in record time from what I’ve gathered of your race’s programs.  You’ve learned to create the building blocks of nearly every other advanced technique at the same time, all while maintaining physical training on a world where the gravity is 20% higher than your birth world.  You pay attention on a level that I only wish my daughters had to their studies.  In fact your focus is worrying.”  She paused studying Shepard’s face.  “I’ve seen your nightmares.  I’d hoped that they would fade, but they seem to be getting worse.”  Shepard looked surprised, so the Matriarch smiled and explained.  “You may not realize but the entire complex is under surveillance, day and night.  Reports from that surveillance are why we’re talking now.  The nightmares are only a part, it goes deeper.   You’ve been cordial and polite to everyone on the estate, but yet you’ve made few social contacts.  You’re not sleeping enough, and I see you awake at night studying images of horror.  It is not healthy, child and I fear I must take action before you hurt yourself.  I’ve seen this before in commandos, a fatigue of the body and soul that will eventually be damaging beyond repair. ”

Shepard looked down, then back up at her teacher’s unwavering gaze.  She saw only concern, an open honest level of concern that nearly broke the carefully built walls Shepard used to hold back the pain. “I...I don’t really know…”

“I know of what happened to your home, to your parents.” Matriarch Lidanya said gently, “At least in part.  But I received no information about the girl in that picture you study.  Tell me about her and why you seem a prisoner to this memory.  You may not believe it now, but in my experience it helps.  Asari are not immune to trauma of the mind and spirit, in our lives we see more of it than anyone would prefer.”

Tell her dummy.  Shepard could almost hear Sandy saying it.  And so she did.  The whole story of Sandy Johnson.  From grade school to high school and extra coursework besides.  Conflict and friendship and kiss that might have been more.  Finding out what had happened to her.  The image stuck in her mind like a paused vid.  …”and that’s not really the worst part.  I think I could deal - let it go - if I knew.  If I knew what she was to me.  She was my friend, sure, but were we more?  Should we have been more?  Did… do I love her?  I don’t know and I’ll never know.”  At this she broke down and cried again for the first time in half a year.

Matriarch Lidanya waited patiently for the storm pass, she could see it had been building for some time.  Finally she spoke.  “Lilias, Asari live for a very, very long time by your reckoning.  In that time we see many friends, lovers, bondmates, even civilizations pass away.”  She pointed to the holo of a Turian on the opposite wall. “The father of my eldest daughter.  He’s been gone now for 100 of your years and I still miss him - every day, but I would not trade our time together to erase that pain.  Asari are taught to remember the time they had, to hold onto those memories to balance the pain.  I would not be cruel and suggest you forget any part of your life, but you must learn to balance it or it will destroy you.”

Lidanya stood and held out a hand to Shepard.  As Shepard took it and rose, Lidanya continued. “Come, we are done for today.  For the rest of the day your lesson is to create some new memories.”  as they reached the door to the training room, she pushed Shepard through it saying, “Go find some of my younger daughters.  Tell them I granted you use of my air car for the day.  Go into the city, spend some credits.  Eat, what is it you humans call it?  Junk Food?  Watch a vid.  Buy some of the deplorable new fashions my daughters seem to like.  Tell them I shall interpret curfew rather loosely tonight.  Then sleep, and put these old memories aside for a time that you may heal.”

\------

Karsten stepped out of the shuttle and walked towards the Lidanya estate’s main gate.  Matriarch Lidanya and Shepard were standing with several younger Asari as they’d waited for the shuttle to land.  Karsten hadn’t wanted to leave Lilias for this long, but it had taken longer than he’d thought to arrange housing and for him to effect his change of station.  He’d had to leave her here for nearly three months  He hoped she was… He stopped dead, startled for a moment as Shepard laughed at something one of the younger Asari said.  He hadn’t heard her laugh since Mindoir.  Wait, what happened to her hair, it wasn’t black before.  And is she wearing makeup?  She saw him approaching and ran up to him, catching him in a hug. “Victor!  Missed you, ya overgrown wannabe krogan!  C’mere I want you to meet some people.” She took his arm and guided him back to the group by her duffle.  He noticed she was dressed in clothing of mostly human cut, but with an Asari aesthetic in color and fabric.  She also seemed to have put on some weight.  In fact she looked just about perfect, healthier than she’d been in months.

“You know Matriarch Lidanya, but you need to meet…”  To be honest he tuned it out at this point.  Most of the girls names sounded pretty much the same to him. But he nodded at appropriate times and this seemed to satisfy Lilias.”

“Well, it seems I should drop you off in an unfamiliar culture with no other humans around more often.  Maybe we could replace the diplomatic corps with you.  Might mean less business for the Marines, but I can handle that.  How do you feel about Turians?“ he joked.  This got a laugh from everyone present, including the normally reserved Matriarch.

“Your Alliance might do well to heed that advice Sergeant Major.  I certainly would welcome our Lilias back at any time, in fact I know my daughters will insist she visit again.” Matriarch Lidanya replied with a smile.

She turned to Shepard and spoke with more formality, “Lilias Shepard, I believe you will do great things.  Know this as you travel, you may always return here for shelter and rest.  You may always count on my family for help should you require it.  And no matter the outcome of your life’s journey, you will be remembered here as part of that family.”

Shepard, eyes damp, simply nodded.  Then she stepped up to the Matriarch and hugged her.  Planting a kiss on her cheek she whispered to the older Asari, “Thank you, for everything.”


	5. The Academy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Add training to talent, bake.

**Annapolis**

**Earth,  April 11, 2172 (Lilias Shepard is 18)**

Starting as a second year student is going to be a problem, Shepard thought to herself.  I stand out like a sore thumb in this group since they all went through their first year together.   She stood in formation with the rest of the class, listening to Commandant McCreary address the returning classes.  She was droning on about the best and brightest and representing the Alliance.  Mostly Shepard tuned her out, she already knew why she was here and was eager to be about it.  Have to get used to the uniform.  I’m not sure what sadist picked this fabric and decided manual buttons and buckles were necessary.

“...and with that, I wish you all a successful year, you’re dismissed to your classes.” Commandant McCreary.  

“Attention!” the Mid 1/C at the head of her group called. Shepard snapped into position with the rest, as she’d practiced with Sergeant Major Karsten.  Commandant McCreary returned the salute and the formation began to break up and head towards the class buildings.

Mid 1/C Byrne stopped her, “A word, Shepard.  I’ll walk with you to your class.”

Shepard nodded and dropped into step with him.  “Of course, sir.”

Byrne smiled, “Relax Shepard, I’m not here to bust your chops.  There are some things we need to cover since you’ve skipped a year though.  Usually you’d be expected to pick up some training duties with the first year cadets, but there are issues.  You’ve got the basics of military courtesy, and I read from your file that you’ve actually finished your CompSci and Biochem BA’s.  That puts you ahead academically and given that your sponsor is a Sergeant Major with 30 years of service, I don’t doubt your polish.  That said, you don’t have the background of going through first year here at the Academy.  This puts me in something of a quandary.”

Shepard nodded, “I hadn’t thought of it that way, sir, but I can see where I might not be the first choice to instruct civilians in Academy life - recently having been one.”

“Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Byrne continued, “Still, I need to get you into some form of leadership role.  The purpose of training the lower classmen as you progress is to instill the command skills you’ll need after graduation.  You can’t gain those skills sitting on the sideline.  Thoughts?” he looked at her as they passed into the main hall.

Shepard thought a moment, “Sir, I’ve had advanced training in several academic areas, hand to hand including some non-human techniques, long range marksmanship, and the equivalent of the Marine escape and evasion course.  I’d be happy to tutor in any of those areas.”

Byrne grinned, “Good suggestions.  Here’s what I think we’ll do, a lot of the 1st year students wash out on physicals - they can’t hack the PT or hand to hand.  I don’t like that because we lose some first rate brains that way.  I think I’ll put you with some of the ones that scored a bit low on entrance, see if you can’t help them see that their physical limits aren’t what they think they are.  Maybe give them some extra hand to hand help.  I’ll get that cleared with Captain Kowalczyk and see it added to your schedule.”

Shepard nodded, with no outward sign of worry. That grin is troubling…

\----

“Simpson, you all right?” Shepard asked mildly of the Mid4/C that had just hit the mat rather forcefully.

He shook his head and slowly raised himself to his hands and knees. “Well, ma’am, about as well as can be expected when someone just hit me with the gym floor.  Just let me catch my breath.”

“Take your time Simpson, you may not think it, but that was actually much better.  You didn’t telegraph nearly as badly this time and you had speed and power.”  Shepard grinned and spoke to the other three students in the gym with them  It was late, 21:00, and all of them were tired.  “The rest of you though, I know you grew up being told,” Shepard let her voice go an octave higher “ ‘we don’t hit’ and ‘we use our words’”  All of the sweating students laughed.

Shepard’s look grew more serious, “But now you’re Systems Alliance Naval and Marine officers.  You’re going to be expected to be able to look after yourself - and to put yourself between civilians and harm.  Hopefully we resolve conflicts with words across a conference table as much as possible.  We look to our civilian leaders for that, and we try ourselves to de-escalate situations.” Shepard paused, thinking At least that’s what the leadership manual I read last night says, and continued “There may come a time when you can’t and you have to rely on your training to get you and others out alive.  For my sins, its my responsibility to see to it you’re ready for that.  To teach you that a bruise or sprain isn’t the end of the world and that you have more in you than you thought you did.”  

Shepard took two steps back and dropped into a defensive stance.  “So, lets see what you’ve picked up boys and girls, first one to put me on the mat gets a PT free day as a reward.”

\-------

The room was fairly small, but comfortably appointed.  The Alliance had decided that the workload of the Academy was enough without enduring spartan accommodations.  

One side, Shepard’s, was filled, but neat.  Everything put away in cabinets and shelves.  The desk covered in organized books and work.  Several old fashioned flat photographs adorned the work area.  The walls were clean except for a few charcoal drawings of locations from off Earth.  A small keyboard was jammed in next to the bed.  Shepard had taken up the instrument at the urging of the Academy counselor.  She could express the emotion without making her feel like she was airing her life out.

The other side was also filled, but not neatly.  It wasn’t dirty, that wouldn’t have been tolerated, but it wasn’t exactly clean either.  The clothes were mixed up.  Wallace’s books and supplies were put away, but often more by force than planing.  Her walls were covered in holos from family and vacations.  It was exactly designed to annoy someone who suffered from OCD, as Shepard happened to a degree.  She wasn’t sure if Wallace did it on purpose or not.

Shepard was attempting to ignore that right now as she reapplied her hair dye.  The shower cut off and the blowers started in the bathroom.  The blowers cut off and the door swung open nearly immediately.  Wallace did not suffer from the small amount of body modesty that the colony raised Shepard did.

“Why do you color your hair that way?” Mid 3/C Erin Wallace asked her roommate as she exited their shared bathroom and began to pull on a more or less clean uniform.  Shepard was applying dye to the roots of her hair.  They’d been roommates now for 3 months and Wallace hadn’t learned very much from her in that time.  She felt it was time to change that.

“Hmm?” Shepard replied, she was concentrating on not dyeing her forehead at the moment, “What do you mean.”

“I mean black.” Wallace flopped onto her bed as she pulled on her pajamas. “I mean it looks good, but your natural brown is gorgeous too.” Wallace pointed at a family photo Shepard kept on her desk.

Shepard was quiet for a moment as she finished and recapped the bottle before speaking.  I guess its probably time I talked with the person I live with.  Aloud, “I guess it came from something Matriarch Lidanya told me.”

Her roommate sat up, “Wait, you got fashion advice from an Asari Matriarch?”

“No, not exactly.” Shepard said with a laugh. “She’d just made the suggestion that I take some control of my circumstances and create some new memories.  Then her daughters got ahold of me.  They were fascinated with my hair since it wasn’t something they had a lot of experience with.  I think I didn’t have the same hair color for more than three days for about two months.  I ended up liking it black, something about the contrast on my ‘skin that will not tan’.”  Shepard smiled in memory as she put her toiletries bag away.  She hung the dye stained towel from a hook and turned when Wallace spoke.

“You lived with them for that long?  Is that where you picked up your civies, I noticed they were in Asari colors.” Wallace gestured at their shared closet.

“I lived with them for six months on Nical.  I was a bit of a mess when I stayed with the Matriarch, wasn’t eating right, wasn’t sleeping.  I was stuck in a spiral on Mindoir.”  Shepard looked sad for a moment then smiled again, “I suppose you could say that was the second time in my life I was rescued.  She and her family taught me to look forward again, to to keep my memories, but in balance against what is yet to come.  I suppose they left an impression on my sense of style.”  Shepard looked at the one of the other pictures on her desk, a group of smiling Asari around her and a birthday cake. “In a sense I owe them my life.”

Shepard stood suddenly, “That got maudlin real fast.”  She stepped over to her roommate and grabbed her by the hand. “C’mon, lets see if my ‘biotics get extra rations’ thing extends to the chocolate cake I spotted in the mess.”

\------

Captain Kowalczyk looked at Mid1/C Byrne.  They were sitting at the table in his office going over the first quarter evaluations. “So,” he said, “that brings us to Mid3/C Shepard. Tell me about the how she’s working out.”

Byrne took a moment and cleared his throat. “Sir, I was skeptical at first, skipping a year - regardless of training and pedigree.  But I’ll admit when I’m wrong.  I gave her a fairly heavy load with the four problem first years to train.  I expected.. well I’m not sure what I expected, but she got all four of them to pass the PT qualification course and brought them all to just above average hand to hand scores.  She seems to respond to workload by performing better - she shows stress, but it doesn’t slow her down.  She’s a natural leader, I expect she’ll pass me by after graduation.  She’s definitely on the command track.”

Kowalczyk was surprised, Byrne didn’t usually get gushy. “So walks on water eval then?  What about her psych/social condition? I’d heard she had problems after Mindoir, she seek counseling or does she seem to be doing OK?”

Byrne snorted, “Not only walks on water, doesn’t get her feet wet even. As to the rest, she’s asked for help from some of the seniors and staff a few times with resolving social differences.  I know she also went to talk to the psych counselor on the Mindoir raid anniversary date.  Apart from that she seems to socialize, though she doesn’t appear to form romantic attachments.  More of a serial friend maker.”

“Right then, seems like we have a handle on Shepard.  Send me your comments and suggestions this week.  Now, what about those four first years you mentioned…” Kowalczyk let Shepard slip from the front of his mind.  He had 199 students left to evaluate this week, time to be about it.


	6. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sprinkle cadet with field training. Turn frequently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Fort Charles Upham**

**Harsh Environment Training Facility**

**Titan, 2173**

“Bravo team, location and status.” the words from the company lead, Mid 1/C Donne,  came suddenly over Shepard’s suit com after an hour of radio silence while they moved into position planetary north of the main dome.

“In position, nominal.” Shepard replied, over a laser relay she’d had her team place while they’d moved.  That sent her radio signal from the relay nearly a kilometer away from her actual position.  Her team had called her paranoid, but placed the relay anyway.

As the training mortar round fell on the relay, dropping hundreds of marking bomblets, her two squadmates Wallace and Reece, looked at each other.  Wallace spoke, “Ok, so maybe not paranoid.  What next, fearless leader?”

“We have to assume they got the rest of the company with similar tricks.  We’ve still got the flag though.”  Shepard grinned through her faceplate, “We punch left.  There’s a ravine that snakes through the ice to the stations primary heat exchanger…”

\-----

“Pay up, Karsten.” Gunnery Chief Ellison, grinned. “She fell for it and I got her.”

“Really?  You see a recovery beacon yet, Gunny?” Sergeant Major Karsten said from the other chair in Ellison’s comfortable office in the main dome of Fort Charles Upham.  He’d come out to see the training, but also to watch Shepard in action, he hadn’t actually seen her in over a month.

“No, but c’mon, no way she got out of that one.” Ellison replied. “You’re just pissed that your protege fell for the same trick that 99% of middies do.”

Karsten grinned, “You just keep telling yourself that.”

Both NCO’s turned back to the display and watched the round up of the training company’s beacons.

\-----

“You good Reece, Wallace?” Shepard asked.

“Good to go.” Reece replied, Wallace only nodded - somewhat winded from the run.

“Ok,” Shepard gestured at the maintenance airlock. “Once I bypass the outer lock, Wallace, you’ll have 25 seconds to get to the panel and cut the station alarm before the sensors notice the airlock outer door is open.  Reece, move right to the inner door and start your bypass but do not complete until I have closed the outer door.”  She waited until both had acknowledged, then nodded. “Ok, starting bypass in three… two…”

\----

Ensign Carran was bored.  85% of the training company had been picked up but he had to remain on duty until all of them were accounted for.  Sensor overwatch with no VI backup was just about the most mind-numbing duty.  The lack of VI backup was simulate combat conditions for the station personnel at  the same time as the Academy students in theory, but apart from training the VI had never failed.  Total waste of time, I just wish they’d hurry up and… A light blinked red momentarily on the airlock cycle for the maintenance hatch by the primary heat exchanger.  Carran flicked the display with his finger but it stayed green now.  He shrugged, I’ll log it for the maintenance crew to look at later. and went back to counting down to going off duty.

Five minutes later he found himself flying through the air in a blue glow while two trainee suited marines slapped a gag on his mouth and binders on his wrists.

A third one with the nameplate Shepard, stepped forward and lowered her hand, releasing her biotic field. “Sorry about that, sir, we’ll send someone to let you out shortly.”  With that, the three figures moved down the corridor towards the offices in the central dome.

\-----

Karsten was frowning.  Ellison looked at him and spoke more seriously, “If you’re worried I can put up a drone to look for the middies?”

“No,” Karsten waved a hand, “they’re still well within the limits on the exercise.  Let see what…”  The door chimed, someone was requesting admittance.

Ellison looked up, surprised, no one should be about at this hour or during the exercise.  “Come” he said to the door VI.

The door opened to reveal three trainee suited figures, helmets under their left arms.  In formation, they stepped into the room, and performed a precise left face that brought them to attention before the Gunnery Chief. They stood silently, dripping on his office floor.

“At ease.” Ellison said, obviously irritated.

“Gunnery Chief Ellison, bravo squad reporting as directed.” Shepard stepped forward holding a folded scrap of red cloth. “We were asked to retrieve this and return with it to base.”  She handed the flag to the gunny and stepped back to parade rest with her squad.

Karsten was making a strangled sound as he fought to restrain a laugh.  Ellison looked at him and drew a credit chip from his pocket, handing it to the Sergeant Major.  “Oh shut up.”  Looking at Shepard’s squad. “Dismissed, go get cleaned up.  Debrief in 30.”


	7. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remove from oven, let cool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Vancouver**

**Earth, 2174 (Shepard’s Graduation)**

The Alliance Military Reservation, Vancouver had been appropriated for the graduation ceremonies this time around.  The graduating class was larger and there were more off world visitors necessitating a larger auditorium and associated facilities.  There were rumors that with the increasing class sizes, the Academy would be relocated to custom built facilities on new base in Brazil.  Shepard applauded the idea, sitting outside in Vancouver through an hours worth of speeches was not her idea of fun.  Brazil seemed just about right.  She shivered in the morning breeze as she sat with her classmates waiting.

Wallace looked at her.  “Shepard, conqueror of the Titan HET course, trainer of newbies, style guru, academic prodigy, biotic juggernaut, and soldier with the stamina of an ox.  All we needed to stop you was a brisk fall morning in Canada?”

“You try growing up where the average temperature during 70 percent of the year is over 40 centigrade.  You’d be shivering in this frozen hellhole too.” Shepard said with an artfully pained expression. “Now, eyes front before we catch hell for this.”

Wallace grinned at her then assumed a dutifully serious expression.  Shepard also returned her attention to the podium.  Their friendship seemed unlikely on the surface.  Wallace was from a wealthy family and had gone into the military as part of a well charted eventual course to politics.  She was mostly a tech specialist and had not excelled at combat exercises.  Shepard was from a rural farm on a colony world, and had never had ambitions really.  At least until the raid.  Now she had an ambition, to see to it these sorts of things were stopped, whatever it took.  And she certainly excelled at combat.  The two of them had taken months to really warm up to each other.  They both agreed the friendship had been sealed by their late night run on the chocolate cake during Shepard’s first year.  Since then they’d been nearly inseparable.  Wallace had taught Shepard that there should be more to her wardrobe than a few comfortable Asari made outfits along with how to navigate the inevitable social functions that were expected of officers.  Shepard had helped bring her combat sim scores up and gotten Wallace over a nasty slump in her chem/bio courses.  Shepard had also served as Wallaces wingman on more than one dating expedition all while resisting Wallaces attempts to fix Shepard up with someone.  And now I’ll probably only see my friend every few years when assignments allow. Shepard thought.

Admiral Steven Hackett stepped up to the podium, and set a datapad down.  The assembled class quieted and sat straighter as he began to speak.

“My thanks to Commandant McCreary for allowing me the opportunity to speak today at this ceremony for the Class of 2174.  My thanks to the many Ambassadors, and leaders from around the Alliance and her colonies who have taken time to attend.  I would like to also welcome the non-human polities who have sent representatives here today.  Thanks to the families both for being here, and for allowing these men and women to pursue a career of service to the Alliance.  And my thanks to the Class of 2174 for hearing the call to duty and answering it.  I feel privileged to know you and to speak to you today.”

“Today you will receive your commission as officers of the Systems Alliance Navy.  In the years since the founding of the Alliance we have strived to take the best of the previously existing institutions of Earth and apply them.  None, I think, have served us better than maintaining the relationship of the Naval and Marine branches.  Organizations that have different specialties, different missions, but ultimately the same vision and purpose.”

“That vision, that purpose - our mission, simply put, is the preservation of lives and of the peace.  The Systems Alliance was founded on the principle of peaceful exploration and trade, but it was founded by realists.  They created the Alliance Navy because they knew that not everyone shared that view of the universe.  As with the Navies of Earth, our job is to protect colonies, protect trade routes, provide a visible backing for the projection of political will.  And when the worst comes to pass, we take the fight to the enemies of the Alliance to show them the error of their ways.”

“You are about to take your oaths as officers of the Systems Alliance.  That oath creates a bond of trust.  Trust between the Alliance and you.  It is between the citizens of the Alliance and its allies.  It is between you and your fellow officers.  Between you and the soldiers you will lead.  This burden of trust is one I am confident you are prepared to accept.  Every step of your training, all of your education, your experiences, your successes and your failures have made you into the person you are today, a person ready and able to fulfill your oath and mission.”

“Normally at this point, I would administer that oath, but today by special order of the secretary of Naval Affairs and with permission of the Commandant, that oath will be administered by the newly appointed Sergeant Major of the Alliance Marine Corps.  Sergeant Major Victor Karsten.”

Hackett stepped aside, allowing the Sergeant Major to take the podium.

“I am here today to administer your oath as officers.  I am proud to be here to welcome you, and in about 5 minutes, to salute you.  I am also here as a member of a family, not as an abstract concept but a statement of fact.  I am here today as a parent, not that it was something I’d ever expected to be.  I came to it late in life, with a child who was troubled and hurt.  I have watched her struggle and succeed in spite of obstacles in her path.  I have never been more proud than I am today to see the woman she has become.  I see that same pride in all of the faces of parents and family members here today.  Know that all of you here today have earned our pride in you.”

“All Midshipmen entering the Systems Alliance Navy, please raise your right hand…”

\-----

The bars across Vancouver were filled with uniforms.  Newly minted Ensigns mingled and let off stress from the final exams.  Tomorrow they’d receive their postings and begin trickling out all over the Alliance.

Shepard had picked the bar for their celebratory drink.  It was much Shepard’s speed than Wallace’s.  It was well lit, and quiet.  The drinks were expensive, but perfectly made, not that Shepard drank really.  That last was the reason it was notably less busy than other bars.  The real draw to Shepard was the piano.  If you were a regular - which she happened to be - you were given more or less free reign to play.  Shepard looked at Wallace as they entered, who grinned at her friend and said “Like I could stop you. Go, shoo, play.  I’ll get a table.”

Shepard headed directly over to the piano and stripped her uniform jacket off, hanging it from the coat rack next to the old Steinway.  The piano was as old as the bar, nearly 200 years.  In a slightly melancholy mood, she played slow old songs, she found the composers when researching the emotional meaning of some tones and words.  She’d been looking for something with more soul than the primarily electronic work made now.  I wonder if I’ll finally get over myself enough to sing this time. She moved the mic pickup into position just in case, and continued playing, working up some courage.  The bartender gave her a wave, Shepard’s piano playing ability was generally well received by the other regulars.  He stopped by and left her a tall glass of sparkling water and cranberry juice. He raised an eyebrow at the mic, she shrugged.

Half an hour later, the knots of stress left by the rush surrounding graduation had started to fade.  She looked over to see that Wallace had acquired two new male admirers and didn’t seem in need of immediate rescue.  Returning to the piano, she queued up the next sheet of music on the display and decided it was time.  Lets see bittersweet, people graduating, heading out… Early 21st century...The Call, that will do.   “It started out as a feeling…

Wallace nearly dropped her drink and shushed the people at the table into silence.  She’d known Shepard for three years now, she’d known when she took up the piano and she knew that she played music that had words, Wallace had never heard her sing though.  Holy crap, its not fair.  She’s pretty, tough, smart, dedicated.  And now I find out she’s got a voice.  I’m lucky she’s not the romantic type or I’d never get a date around her…

Shepard hadn’t noticed Wallace messaging someone earlier, nor did she notice the senior officer and NCO enter the bar and take a table near the back.  They sat quietly listening to Shepard sing.

“Which then grew into a hope

Which then turned into a quiet thought

Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder

'Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back when you call me

No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing

Doesn't mean it's never been this way before

All you can do is try to know who your friends are

As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light

You'll come back when it's over

No need to say goodbye

You'll come back when it's over

No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning

It's just a feeling and no one knows yet

But just because they can't feel it too

Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger

'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back when they call you

No need to say goodbye

You'll come back when they call you

No need to say goodbye”

Shepard looked up as she finished, surprised to hear clapping and people asking for another song.  Even more surprised to see a few damp eyes. I guess Mum was right about my voice and not just being nice.  And I didn’t think that bartender could smile, let alone cry...  That was when she noticed the table with Anderson and Karsten. She leaned to the mic, “Sorry folks, I need a break.” She rose and walked over to the the recent arrivals.

She saluted as she reached the table, “Captain.”  with some level of shock she realized Karsten had already given her a salute and a “Ma’am.”

“Sit, Ensign.” Anderson directed. “We’re off duty, unclench a bit.  Where’d you get that song from, I’m not familiar with it - yours?”

Shepard sat, and quickly shook her head no. “No, I’m no composer or songwriter.  I found a wealth of old music when I was doing some research.  There was an era on Earth about 160 years back that produced some astonishing things.  Its all public domain now”

“Shepard, you’re making the rest of us look bad.” he replied up unconsciously echoing Wallace’s thoughts, “Talent, drive, and now artistic tendencies.  How’re a couple of old warhorses like us supposed to keep up with you youngsters.”

“Well sir,” Shepard smiled tentatively, “Blame Alliance med/psych types.  The academy counselor encouraged me to take up piano as a way to get a level of emotional baggage unloaded..”  Chuckles moved around the table.

“Now that we’re all present,” Karsten interjected, “We have a few gifts for your graduation.  First mine.”  He drew a box, about 25cm long, from a bag at his feet and passed it to Shepard.  While Shepard looked at the box, Wallace had wandered over and claimed a seat beside Shepard.

“Open it silly.” Wallace poked her friend.

“Alright, alright…” Shepard removed the top to reveal a knife in a belt sheath.  The blade looked to be about 17cm long, a bit over 2cm wide.  The metal was black and the handle wrapped in bands of what seemed to be leather.  The sheath was stamped USMC.  Shepard looked up at Karsten.

“That is what was called a KA-BAR by the company that made created it originally, and the Mark 2 Knife, Fighting Utility by the old United States Marine corps.  That particular knife is a reproduction.  I wanted an original, but a 200 year old utility knife wouldn’t be very reliable.  This one is identical to the originals, except that the blade is made from density enhanced metals, collapsed by mass effect.  Its about a 16 ounces heavier than the original, but the balance is the same.  It will hold an edge while cutting through a blade made from the metal the original version was made from.  They were used in fighting, but also to clear mines, cut wire, open ration tins, and a hundred other things a soldier needed.”  he looked at Shepard, “I wanted you to have a tangible link to the service’s history, and a reminder that a weapon is also just a tool.”

Shepard didn’t know what to say, it must have been incredibly expensive.  She just nodded, touched.  She knew he was making a reference to her biotics, a topic she’d struggled with for a while.  The tool vs weapon debate was an old one they’d had.  

Anderson cleared his throat, “Well, that’s a hard act for Wallace and I to follow.  Shepard, what we picked up isn’t quite as tangible here at the table.” He slid over an envelope made of old fashioned heavy paper. “No need to open it, its just legal documents.  Remember when you told us you didn’t care what happened to your parent’s old farm, to just get rid of it?”  At Shepard’s nod he continued, “Well as it turns out, the colony reconstruction and expansion really needed the farmland and was willing to pay quite a bit for it.  So, with some extra help from Wallace’s family business connections, we were able to acquire rights to a certain mountain valley and lake.”  Shepard sat up straighter, shocked and looked at Wallace, who nodded.

Wallace put an arm around her shoulders, “Did we do it right?” she asked.  Shepard nodded, a bit too emotional to speak.  “What Anderson hasn’t said, is the second part.  There were quite a few credits left over, so we went ahead and had a small prefab placed in a scenic spot.  The rest of the credits were rolled over into a account for later.”

“Soldiers used to say that someone bought the farm, when someone died.” Anderson said, “Since you now own a very nice bit of land and a house, what we’re trying to say is - no need to buy the farm, so don’t die out there, OK?”

Shepard looked at them for a moment then spent the next few minutes bestowing hugs, rank protocol be damned.

Once she resumed her seat, Karsten drew a jewelry box from the bag and passed it over, “Last one Shepard, I promise.  Its not from us, its from Matriarch Lidanya and her daughters.  She wanted to be here herself, but she just took command of the Destiny Ascension and couldn’t get away.”

Shepard opened the box to reveal an intricately wrought bracelet.  Large interlocking links of three different kinds formed a graceful curve.  One was a heavy silvery metal, the other a polished black and the third was a gray with hints of a rainbow hue in the reflected light. “Its beautiful.”

“According to the note that she sent with it, “ he passed over a small handwritten note, “the silver/white links are iridium.  Mined on an asteroid near Nical.  The black links are made from a nearly pure iron with a chemical treatment, the last manganese.  The iron was imported from Earth, the manganese from an orbital mine near Mindoir. She told me to tell you that it symbolizes you as a woman from multiple worlds now, to remind you of the interlocking chain of your life and memories.”

“And if I know her, a reminder that I should make a vid call more often than I do.  I’ll write to her tonight.” Shepard replied with a lopsided grin as she placed the bracelet on her left wrist. “Heavy” she remarked.

“And expensive.” Anderson pointed to the box, “I recognize that jeweler’s emblem.  That was made on Thessia and probably cost about as much as a new air car.”  he sighed, “It's good to get out here. I haven’t been back to Earth in years.  Which brings me to one last thing, you probably won’t see a planet again for a few years yourself.   I pulled a few strings and got a notification as to your first assignment.  I’ll be honest I also pulled a few strings to adjust assignments,” He held up a hand to her suddenly irritated expression. “no not yours. You were already slated to the SSV Einstein’s marine detachment to take over third platoon, that’s a two year billet out in the Traverse then I presume you’ll be sent planetside to get some staff experience.  No, the other string I pulled moved Wallace here from a Mars posting to the Einstein’s sensor and weapons team.  You two have made something of a habit of keeping each other out of trouble, seemed like a shame to break up the team.”  He and Karsten stood as Wallace grinned and slapped Shepard on the shoulder, “You to go have some fun, but report to the shuttle pad at 08:00 tomorrow ready to ship out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song my Shepard plays is The Call by Regina Spektor. It may be the perfect graduation song, running a close race with These Are The Days by 10,000 Maniacs.


	8. Elysium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serve in an exotic locale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Elysium**

**Vetus System, 2176**

Shepard rode the elevator from the SSV Einstein’s marine deck for what would probably be the last time.  She was about to head out on leave before her next posting, a staff position on Arcturus.  She touched the new rank tabs on her uniform, still not sure they were real.  She’d been jumped to Staff Lieutenant early due to her platoons actions last month.  They’d boarded a freighter taken by pirates, standard op.  The freighter had been a complete loss from damage and Shepard had planned around that to limit her casualties.  When they’d breached the lock though they’d found that some of the original crew were still alive.  That had put a crimp in her plans to simply blow the drive, and they’d had to fight compartment to compartment to secure the hostages.  Her new orders had come down with the promotion shortly after the Einstein’s group had returned from patrol.  Well, it’ll feel real eventually.  I’ll have a month vacation down there to get used to it.

Originally she’d thought Wallace would transfer out at the same time, but Wallace had surprised everyone - including herself, when she’d expressed a desire to change from the technical track to command.  She’d be taking over Shepard’s platoon “The Third Preferred”, a play on having become the company commander’s first choice for most ops.

The elevator chimed and the shouldered her bag, her armor and other gear had been loaded already, as the doors opened on the shuttle deck. She stepped out and was surprised to see most of the company turned out.  Captain Hanigan drew himself up, bringing his hand up into a salute. “Company, Attention!”  The rest of the company snapped into ramrod straight stance, hands going through a perfect salute.

Shepard stopped, and dropped her bag.  She stood at attention, and returned the salute as carefully as she ever had at the academy.

Hanigan lowered his hand, “Company, dismissed.”  The 150 or so marines crowding the shuttle bay, dropped their salute and relaxed.  They began to move back towards the lifts stopping to wish her well on their way past..  Wallace and the rest of Third remained standing near the Major.

Saying goodbye to the company took Shepard almost an hour, but she didn’t mind.  Once they’d mostly cleared out, Shepard picked up her bag and walked over to the shuttle ramp.  

“Captain, thank you.  I’ve learned a lot here in the past two years.  I’m sorry to leave, especially to leave you with this slacker,”  She punched Wallace’s shoulder, grinning. “but I expect Third will keep her out of trouble for you.”

The Captain smiled back, “If she’s even half as good as you were, I’m doing better than 90% of other company commanders.  Shepard, I wish you well on your next assignment - enjoy your leave, you’ve earned it.”  He shook her hand and then waved as he headed towards the lifts.

Shepard turned to the rest of her old platoon.  “Now that I’m not your commander and I don’t have to maintain my distance, honesty compels me to admit I’m going to miss you all.  I’ll even admit, but I will never repeat this on record, that I’m proud of you all.  Except you Michaels, I still owe you for that plumbing incident.”  The troops laughed and things devolved into hugs and goodbyes for a solid 30 minutes, marines slowly trickling out until just Wallace and Shepard were left at the shuttle ramp.

“Well Shepard, I guess they finally broke up the band.” Wallace said as she took her friend’s hand.

Shepard pulled her friend into a hug, “That’s what reunion tours are for.”  She drew back and looked at her friend, “You keep yourself safe out there, I expect you to finish out your 10 and run for office.  That way I’ll be able to say ‘I knew the Honorable Representative Wallace when she was just a marine with a multitude of bad habits.’ ”

“You too Lil, I intend to be on the committee that approves your promotion to Admiral one day.” Wallace replied, controlling her expression.  

“God help the service if it ever comes to that,” Shepard smiled, “See ‘ya around.” and headed up the ramp.

\-----

Two weeks of no particular set schedule, wearing civilian clothes with her prefered Asari styling, spending most days hiking the trails around the resort outside Illyria, had produced a Shepard who could forget being a marine for almost an hour at a stretch.  She’d sampled foods, drinks, music and taken downtime to correspond with her friends and extended family.  She’d shared a few notes with Wallace, providing some insight on a couple of Third’s screwballs and hard cases.  She’d received a note from Matriarch Lidanya, she was trying to get Shepard to come to the Citadel for a visit, but that the time required would make returning for her new post tight.  Chakwas had commed to give her opinion on Shepard’s diet choices since her last checkup.  Anderson had been promoted to command of the Cairo.  It never seemed like so much was going on until you took some downtime to catch up.  The biggest news had hit her kind of hard.  Karsten had set a date for his retirement, three months from now he’d no longer be a fixture at the Commandant’s HQ.  He’d taken most of his retirement as colony credits and was going to move to Mindoir.  Shepard had already insisted he stay in the lake house there until things were settled with the land he was buying.  She just wasn’t ready to think of him as getting older yet.

She’d even found a bar that had a piano and it had only taken one evening to convince the owner to let her play and sing pretty much as she wanted to.

It being a resort area, the number of off duty military and tourists was high.  Given that mix of people Shepard had run into an unaccustomed problem.  She had been keeping score and without Wallace around to absorb most of the attention, she’d had to deflect no less than five passes a day.  Surprisingly the number was trending upwards and towards the female population.   I suppose they have a more finely tuned sense of what kind of, ah, attributes I like than most men.  She recalled one particularly persistent, slightly drunk, businessman.  She’d finally had to be blunt, “Look, its not just that you’re drunk.  Nor is it that I can tell you’re married.  Or even that you’re rude.  I was telling the truth when I said I’m just not into dating right now.  It seems like I need to be more clear, I’m not into guys and you’re not really the sort of person who might be able to change my mind.”

Unfortunately that had made her situation a bit worse.  Since word had spread a bit around the more or less permanent residents, the people making passes at her had started trending towards her type.  And that was slowly wearing down her resistance to entanglements.  One of the staff at the bar, a human woman named Angelina, had been persistent.  Friendly persistent, and given the past few nights she knew she was making progress when Shepard hadn’t objected to her sitting on the bench and leaning on her while singing along to one of the songs.  Angelina seemed to be good at this kind of thing, Shepard hadn’t even noticed that a move was being made.  Until I found myself thinking about how nice she smelled.  Damnit she’s better at this than me.  Shepard had managed to extricate herself that night, but the next night the blonde was a lot more aggressive - she seemed to think she’d finally broken the stoic Shepard.  Shepard was worried she might be right.

Two nights later, Shepard was certain of it.  

\-----

Shepard and Angelina sat on the small couch in her room at the resort, an hour of talking and tentative exploration had Shepard fairly relaxed.  And not so relaxed.  Ok, lets do this...

The building shook with a explosion.  Kinetic strike, three klicks.  The last three weeks of relaxation were gone in flush of adrenaline.  What is it about me and dating that brings about military action?   “You need to get down to the hotel basement.  Stay there until this all over.”

Angelina looked confused as Shepard shed her clothes and opened a locked case on the floor of the closet. “Aren’t you coming?”  

Thank God change of station required I bring my personal equipment. “No.  I have to get out there.”  Shepard grinned, feral and kind of scary to the young woman on the couch, “Its my job to get between that and people like yourself.”

“Oh…” she said as she watched Shepard pulling on her hardsuit.

“Handy that these things collapse down,” Shepard muttered as she pulled her rifle and heavy pistol from the case and clipped them onto their hardpoints.

Shepard took Angelina downstairs herself, locking her in with several of the hotel staff and guests.  As she hit the main lobby she could see shuttles dropping around the city and plumes of smoke rising.  For just a moment she was a girl on Mindoir again, then the marine training took over and she slapped her com unit.

“All units, respond this frequency.  This is Lieutenant Shepard, Alliance marines.”  her omnitool responded to her mental request with a local map that popped up in her armor’s visor.

A trickle of responses came in, some from police in nearby buildings, some from other marines on leave.  The VI she’d used as a platoon lead came in handy now as it catalogued the responses and tagged them in her map display.  She moved to the roof of the aircar hangar at the resort as she listened to the responses, trying to get a better view.  The city didn’t look good.

She saw a shuttle drop right on the parking area below her.  Reaching for her rifle she thought better of it and let it retract.  She took her heavy pistol in hand and prepped her amp.

The shuttle dropped its ramp and five pirates began to move down it, getting about halfway before the shockwave she unleashed blew them right back into the troop compartment.  Two snap shots took care of the of the one closest to the ramp and she dropped from the roof.  Rolling upright she tossed a quick singularity into the shuttle without looking. She ran off the rest of the thermal clip in her pistol hitting two more and rolled into cover to the side.  While she reloaded she happened to look down at the corpse half hanging out of the shuttle door and noticed the grenade he had on his belt.  Her smile grew colder as she grabbed it, primed it and tossed it into the shuttle, followed by a warp that detonated the still spinning singularity.

Bits of equipment and pirates flew out of the door as she stayed in the blast shadow.  This is one shuttle that’s not lifting off again.  Her suit VI pinged.  It had finished cataloging the marine responses and it looked like she was actually the senior marine officer in com range. Shit.

All around the city the marines who’d been fighting individually heard a voice come over their omni tools or in some cases hardsuit computers. “All Alliance units, this is Lieutenant Shepard.  I’m assuming command until we establish contact with higher.  Please relay the following to police and civilians in contact with enemy forces.  I need all non-combatant civilians to retreat to interior rooms or basements if possible.  Police units, clear the streets of civilians and retreat into building to fight a holding action.  All marine assets, those of you who can make it to my location in five minutes, do so.  If you cannot, form up into three man teams and begin harassing activities.  Keep these animals off the civilians.”  She directed her VI to designate the troops who could reach her as Alpha and code the squads that couldn’t as they reported in.

She directed the Alpha designated troops to a new frequency.  “Alpha, we have two objectives.  We need to get to a long range com unit and contact higher, and we need to take the fight to these scumbags.  So here’s how this is going to go...”

\-----

12 hours later Shepard’s scratch unit of marines had linked up with the planetary militia and was assisting in setting perimeter defenses outside of an apartment complex.  Before they’d arrived here they’d managed to destroy fourteen of the pirate shuttles and gotten several hundred civilians under cover.  They’d also gotten through to Alliance forces and the Einstein task group was responding.  In parallel to Mindoir, the big slower carrier had sent her shuttles and troops ahead, with a frigate, the SSV Agincourt, this time.  They just had to hold on for another 30 minutes.

Twenty minutes later Shepard was on the wall setup to snipe some long range targets.  It turned out she was the only trained sniper in the marines she’d gathered and she was more or less commanding from a prone position right now.  C’mon, just pop your head out and I’ll make all this go… -BLAM-  the noise and savage recoil were as much a surprise now as they were when she was a kid.  This time though, nothing deflected her shot and the suddenly headless batarian dropped, spraying blood over his companions.  They began firing wildly, not knowing where the shot had come from.  She waited a few heartbeats and then squeezed the trigger again. -BLAM- another batarian dropped.  As Shepard serviced targets, she saw a movement from the corner of her scope and turned to engage it, just as it fired a heavy rocket into the barrier.

Shepard was tossed back from the wall, but reflexively brought up a barrier as she fell and was only bruised.  Several men were down, hurt or dead and she could hear the shouts as a mass of the pirate troops ran for the breach.  Guess its up to Shepard’s one lady band again.  She rolled to her feet, snatching a militia M7 from the ground as she ran to the breach.

She began firing in short controlled bursts while calling over the com, “This is Shepard, breach in section 3, I’m going to try to plug it up but I need reinforcements and a medical team asap.”  As the M7 reached its threshold and began to vent heat, she dropped it and reached deep into that strange place in her mind.  The place where she could feel gravity, and she twisted it.  Lifting up a chunk of pavement and dirt the size of an aircar, a mass at her limit and perhaps a bit beyond it from the pain she was feeling, she slammed it in the breach, crushing the first pirate who’d reached it.  Letting it drop and ignoring the pain in her head, she snatched the pistol from her side and ran to the top of the barricade.  Firing in timed rate, trying to conserve thermal clips, she popped up in different places on the way, trying to keep them confused as they tried to climb up.  A few minutes later,  as her pistol popped her last spent thermal, she felt a brutal impact at the small of her back and her shields collapsed.

“Fuck,” She rolled down the barricade at the M7 she’d discarded earlier, hoping it had cooled,  as another blast hit where she’d landed.  She reached the rifle and triggered a burst just as the batarian fired again.  She felt the impact on her armor and saw the blood blossom from the batarian’s chest.  She started to move back to the wall, but a tearing pain from the right side of her chest made her look down.  Huh, guess he had armor piercing rounds.  Chakwas is not going to be happy about this.  Using the rifle as a crutch, she made her way painfully up the barricade.  She reached the top in time to shoot two more pirates as they climbed up.  Her armor had dispensed an emergency medigel dose and the painkilers were working - but she could feel blood loss dragging at her.  She was going to be out soon.  Another head popped over the wall and she fired, but the M7 jammed.  Crap.  The pirate rolled over the wall and pointed his weapon at her.  

By now Shepard was pretty sure she was just going to have to hope he missed as she tensed to try to roll to the side, then he was blown back over the wall by heavy caliber rounds.  Through the fire she could hear the distinctive sound of a Kodiak shuttle and saw troops dropping from the open doors while a man stayed on the door gun firing over the wall.  The shuttle lifted to provide cover as she saw the familiar suits of Third platoon move up the wall and take position.  Wallace ran over to her, shouting “Medic!  Need an evac here.”  Wallace looked down at her friend and said, “See what happens when you go on vacation without me?”  

Shepard laughed and coughed.  “I will admit to having learned a lesson.”

\-----

Two days later, in Einstein’s sickbay, Shepard related the events of her vacation to Wallace while her friend tried to restrain her laugher.

“Oh girl, I can’t believe you fell for that one.  The ‘accidental’ touch gag?  I’m surprised she didn’t bag you days after you landed.” Wallace giggled.

Shepard tried to look serious, “Well, I’m not used to being hit on.  You always absorbed all of that attention in bars.”

“Wouldn’t have helped,” Wallace interrupted her,  “Two reasons.  First, I’m not into girls.  Second, I’d have let her have you.  You REALLY need to get laid my straightlaced friend.”

Shepard looked at the embarrassed young private who’d entered the sickbay on the tail end of that conversation and said, “Hey, watch what you say in front of the children.  Even if I did need to get laid and she was hot enough to make even you question how straight you were.”  The private blushed to his ears as he walked over to the bed.  She ignored him for a moment.  “Besides I’m done with it.  Each time I’ve gotten the slightest bit romantic Batarian’s have invaded.  I’m just going to accept that I’m an emotional trainwreck and stick with more or less mechanical solutions to my, ah, needs. Safer.”

“Ma’am, the com section received updated orders for you this morning.” he stammered as held out a datapad and waited.

Shepard took pity on him and nodded, “Dismissed private.”  He fled.  Wallace looked at Shepard and they began giggle which turned into laughter, which went on for some time until they were in tears and Shepard was holding her mostly healed wound.  “Dammit Wallace,  if you make me pop a stitch the surgeon will hurt us both.”

She leaned back and keyed the pad reading. Pretty normal stuff.  Change of posting due to delays from recovery etc… What the hell?  She read it again.  The words didn’t change.  She closed her eyes then opened them.  Nope still there.  “Wallace, read this -tell me if I’ve gone round the bend or if that says what I think it says.”

Wallace took the pad and skimmed it.  She began to read out loud.

“From: Alliance Naval Headquarters, Arcturus.

To: Lieutenant Lilias Shepard, Alliance Marines

Lieutenant Shepard, You are hereby directed to proceed to the Systems Alliance Marine Base Vila Militar, there to present yourself to the Interplanetary Combatives Training program.  Travel authorizations attached…”

“Um, they’re sending you to N-School, Lil” Wallace said.

“I read that, understood that.  Its the second note that has me confused.” Shepard replied.  “It has your fingerprints on it, I can smell it.”

Wallace read quietly for a moment, paging through the citation.  When she spoke, she was unusually serious. “That’s pretty much as I wrote my report.  Looks like they added in what the marines on the ground saw and the militia captain’s report.”

“Wallace, I don’t deserve the Star of…” Shepard began.

“The fuck you don't Lilias Shepard.”  Wallace replied hotly, “When presented with an unexpected attack in overwhelming force, you went from a date to shooting in under six minutes.  Organized local forces and scattered marines before the planetary militia had even activated its first com unit.  Saved hundreds of lives and stopped the pirates cold on the north side of town.  After notifying higher command of what was going on, you then joined the colony defense surrounding the center of the capital.  Eventually holding a crucial section of the barricade, on your own, against an enemy in platoon strength. Continuing to do so after you were wounded, holding until relieved.”  She softened her tone.  “Lil, that sounds exactly like a holder of the Star of Terra to me.


	9. Interplanetary Combat Initiative (N school)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The recipe analogies have kind of run their course. Shepard at ICT, better known as N school.

**Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro**

**Earth,  2176**

  
Shepard stood in a stone courtyard  with a group of nine other marine and naval officers in the morning light.  They stood in a line, having fallen into it automatically.  They stood at parade rest, waiting for the ICT instructor to arrive.   Shepard was hoping it was soon, while she was rated able to return to duty, her side still ached and she would prefer any kind of movement to simply standing.  They were left there for another 15 minutes before a door opened on the far side of the courtyard.  A tall man in an unadorned uniform walked across the flagstones, boot heels clicking.

He stopped in front of the assembled officers and surveyed them with a critical eye.  “My name is Captain Killian Wruck, I serve in the Alliance Navy under an N7 designation.  I am here, today, to begin your training under the ICT program.   You may be expecting me to call out your flaws, to behave as a boot camp instructor might.  We have no need of that here.  You are all professionals of great skill or you would never have been selected for this opportunity.  I will do my best to serve as a mentor and guide during this program.”

He began pacing around the group. “We will subject you to conditions that will take you to and sometimes beyond your limits.  We will test your resolve and your skills at every turn.  You will question yourself and your abilities.”  He stopped now back in front of the group. “Know this, if you pass through this program, you will never have cause to doubt your resolve or abilities again.”

The captain raised a hand and a sergeant brought out a basket and set it on the ground next to the him.  “Please place all electronics, tools and other equipment in the basket.  You may retain one non-electronic tool and your uniform.”  The group began divesting themselves of an astonishing variety of tools and weapons.  

As it came to be Shepard’s turn, she stopped after dropping nearly all of her things in the basket. “Sir,” she asked, “Does that count my amp?  If so, I’ll need its maintenance case and the non-amplified biofeedback unit to maintain the implant.”  

He looked at her “Shepard, its up to you in this case.  We typically allow biotics the use of their amp, but they find rapidly that it can become a detriment.  If you’re using your biotics in this exercise  you’ll be without extra support to replace electrolytes and calories.  And you’ll be without a charging source for the amp.”

She nodded, “Understood.  In that case I believe I’ll retain it.  Its safer in my skull than its case in my room.  For my non-electronic tool, I’ll just keep this.” She held up the ka-bar knife she’d been given at graduation.

He looked at it and shrugged.

Shepard returned to the group and waited.  Once everyone had completed divesting themselves of excess gear, Captain Wruck directed them to a shuttle waiting outside the courtyard.

They were flown an indeterminate distance into the mountainous jungle.  There were no windows or display to give them a clue.  When the shuttle grounded, they assembled in a group again while Captain Wruck addressed them from the shuttle ramp.  

“This first exercise is not a test of leadership and cooperative abilities.  You are welcomed to work together, but it is not required.  There is no bonus for finishing first, no penalty for finishing last.  There is no set time limit.  This exercise is pass/fail ladies and gentleman.  If you make it back to the villa, you pass.  If you die or have to be rescued, you fail.  Are there any questions?”

Shepard looked at the others.  They looked confident, ready and eager to be off.  She raised her hand “Yes Shepard?”

“Sir, if I may ask, which way to the villa?” Shepard asked casually.  You never know unless you try.

The captain smiled broadly, “Excellent question.  Head south, it should be obvious once you cross the ridge.”  He looked at the rest of the group.  “Shepard just demonstrated the first quality we look for.  Use every tool and technique at your disposal. Failing that, use your brain.  Good luck!”  He slid the door shut and the shuttle took lifted off and spiraled up to the clouds - no additional clues would be forthcoming it seemed.

“C’mon folks.  Miles to go before I sleep and all that.” Shepard said, and started off.

\-----

Two days later, a notably exhausted and dirty Shepard, walked along a river supporting the weight of navy Flight Lieutenant Kennedy Maille.   She’d ended up working with her when the rest of the group and split up and charged off.  It seemed like they hadn’t listened to the ‘no time limit’ and ‘welcomed to work together’ parts.  They’d been working their way around a ridgeline when the ground had given way and Shepard had started to slip.  Maille had arrested her fall, but badly sprained her ankle in the process.  Maille had said “I wouldn’t hold it against you to move on without me, helping me is going to make this harder.”  Shepard had shaken her head and replied, “Smaj Karsten would skin me alive if I did that.  Now, hold onto me - on three….”  They’d talked about family some while they worked their way back.  Maille’s family was navy through and through and the remembered her mother talking about responding to the Mindoir raid.   Shepard had related stories about serving on the Einstein having met Maille’s mother a few times.

By the time they’d reached the villa a day later, Shepard had acquired another friend and a partner for the rest of training.  As they passed through the gates, a medical team appeared to check over Shepard and take Maille to the infirmary.  Captain Wruck walked along side as Shepard followed the team.  He looked at Shepard “You know you still made it in second.  Only one other person has made it so far and he was alone.  Officially, this isn’t timed.  But it certainly doesn’t make you look bad to have nearly come in first, while not abandoning a comrade.  Well done.”

\-----

The rest of the N1 ICT course passed in a blur of exhaustion, pain and suffering.  Shepard refused to give up.  And she refused to let Maille fail.  She’d even bodily pulled others toward the finish line more than once the expense of her own scores.  They’d lost two in the first exercise and over the following three months they’d lost five more.  The two others who’d remained had decided to follow Shepard’s lead in the remainder of the exercises, they’d informally decided she ranked them both.  On the last day Shepard, Maille and  James Wilson - the man who’d arrived before them in the first exercise, stood in the same courtyard.  They formed a loose triangle with Shepard at the head.  They didn’t speak, by this time they knew what each of the others would have said most of the time.

Captain Wruck stepped out of the same door, the one they now knew led to his office, and waved the trio over.  They walked to his office and stood at parade rest before his desk.

“Please take a seat, all of you.” Wruck said, “You’ve officially passed the N1 ICT course. Its time to make some decisions.”  

The three officers took seats, unconsciously maneuvering to put Shepard in the middle.  Wruck smiled at this.  “Well, decision time it would seem.  You’ve passed N1, that alone makes you tougher than 99% of your fellow soldiers.  If you want, the next stage is N2, orbital training followed by other classes through live fire combat actions.  If  you choose to return to  your units, there are no repercussions, no hard feelings.  You’re able to hang with the hardest, toughest bastards in the galaxy at this point - be proud.”

Shepard felt, more than anything else, the shift in the weight of her squadmates and spoke, “Sir, we’d like to continue.  As a squad if at all possible.”

“You realize that N7 operatives, should you reach that point, are typically solo affairs.  They are dispatched to work with other units or train local personnel?  That if you pass the whole course you will not be able to remain as a squad?” Wruck looked at her companions who only nodded.  “Well, it seems the evaluation reports on your leadership aptitude were spot on accurate.  Report to the shuttle pad tomorrow morning at 08:00.  Get some sleep tonight, you’ll need it.  Dismissed.”

\-------

After the N1 course, the rest mostly only tried to be tough.  They worked together over the next 18 months of training, taking each task on as a team.  N2 turned out to be the easiest.  All three of them were vacuum qualified already and had excellent spacial awareness. The N3 course was multi-pronged, it covered endo and exo atmospheric flight.  Free fall parachuting in the same environments.  Diving, along with a course in operation of underwater mechs.  Basically any form for transportation or movement in any environment.   It turned out that the N4 linguistics and diplomacy course was Wilsons bread and butter - he carried the team there.  They’d all helped each other with the communications electronics section.  The N5 course was highly technical.  Traditional and illegal hacking methods.  Circuit bypasses.  Engineering studies of human and non-human craft.  Biological studies of known ecosystem types and sentient and non-sentient life forms.  Basic and advanced trauma care for humans and Council species.  Even some surgical training.  

Through it all the team they’d built had grown stronger.  In some ways even stronger, Shepard thought during downtimes,  than her friendship with Wallace or the other family she’d made for herself over the years.  They’d taken leave together, supported Maille through more than one breakup.  Helping Shepard on more than one occasion deflect the attentions of potential partners as she kept a more or less  monastic existence.  Her experience on Elysium had been great in some ways, but had cemented the idea that her happiness was tied to catastrophe.  Williams hadn’t needed that sort of help, he was the only member of the group who was married, had kids even.  Maille and Shepard had made one memorable trip home with him after his wife had discovered that he spent 20 hours a day with two early 20’s, fit - well objectively more than just fit, military women.  They’d wanted to ensure she knew neither one was interested in poaching her husband out from under her.

\------

They’d landed on Demeter, on a Friday night and they’d have the weekend before the next series of classes.  Maille had driven the aircar, neither was fond of Shepard’s near suicidal disregard of traffic laws.  Wilson looked worried.

“Look, maybe this is a mistake.  What if it turns out awkward and you’re stuck here the whole...” Wilson started.

“You’re not getting rid of us that easily dude.” Shepard interrupted. “We want to see the baby - and this woman for whom you pine while we travel the galaxy.”

Maille interjected, “Plus, if we have to, I think our finely honed survival skills can find a hotel.”

Shepard continued, “Besides, it can’t be any more awkward than when you signed both Maille and I up for a dating extranet site without telling us and it kept trying to send us on dates together.  We still owe you for that one.”

Wilson had a pained expression on his face, “Alright, but on your heads be it if she kills me when she sees what the two of you look like.”

Maille brought the aircar in for a perfect landing and the three of them piled out in front of a neat small prefab set on a hillside.   There was a field of grass surrounded by a low fence around the base of the hill.  It served both to keep some Earth descended livestock in and native life out.  Wilson opened the gate and gestured, “C’mon lets get this over with.”

They’d walked up the hill and as they approached, the door of the house banged open and two small children ran out and down the hill,  yelling “Daddy!”  He picked up the smaller one while the other took his free hand as they walked.  “This is Tricia.” Wilson bounced the smaller one, “And this one,” shaking the hand of the older child, “is Jessica.”

Both Maille and Shepard smiled, they were seeing a different side of the usually dour Wilson.  He’d seemed to perk up just from being here.  As they moved farther up the hill the door opened one more time and a short woman, just a bit on the plump side with flaming red hair, stepped out holding an infant. “Trish, Jessie, what are you doi..”  she stopped as she saw Willson, “James?, JAMES!  This is the best kind of surprise!”  She hurried forward to catch her husband in a hug. “Welcome home love, how..”  she stopped again as she caught site of Shepard and Maille who had hung back a little. “You’ve brought guests, are these the people you’re working with now?”

Wilson was trying to work himself out of the hug long enough to point, while saying “Yes, guys, this is my wife Amelia and James jr…”

Maille and Shepard looked at each other then stepped forward, Shepard taking the lead. “Ah, yes ma’am, we are. This is Flight Lieutenant Kennedy Maille and I’m Lieutenant Lilias Shepard.  I’m sorry for the surprise but when we had leave come up before our next round of classes, we badgered Wilson, I mean Lieut.  Hell, James, into bringing us along.  We spend enough time in spaceports and ,” at Wilson’s panicked look Shepard changed course from the word ‘bars’, “...cities.  Maille, Kennedy and I wanted to get out to some air that wasn’t recycled and, of course, to see the kids he won’t stop showing us pictures of. “  Shepard smiled, she was applying all of her not inconsiderable charm.  Maille was concentrating on looking non-threatening and just waved, a bit shyly actually.  Given her dating history she was a bit intimidated by someone with a stable relationship, like Wilson.

Shepard continued, “I hope we’re not imposing?  Kennedy and I can always head back and get a hotel if…”  Shepard was gambling on her reacting like a a Mindoir farmer’s wife would.  The very mention of the word hotel usually causes a farm wife to respond about like…

“Nonsense, wouldn’t dream of putting someone in the service in a hotel, of course we have room and its not an imposition at all - just a surprise.  And a happy one since you dragged my husband home for the weekend. Now lets get everyone inside so we can get dinner started.”   Amelia turned and led the group back into the house.

\-----

Hours later, the children were all asleep and the adults had taken seats on the porch of the back of the house, looking over a large field at the darkening sky.  Drinks had been refreshed and conversation had tapered off after some comparison of Shepard’s life back on Mindoir to the farm life here on Demeter.  After a bit of silence, Amelia snorted and spoke “Ok, out with it, why does James think I’m about to snap and kill him, to the point he brought two of the probably hottest and most dangerous women in the galaxy to protect him.”  She said the last with a grin at Shepard and Maille.  Both of them laughed, Maille to the point of tears.  Shepard got it under control and responded.

“Honestly?  He’s been afraid of what you’d do to him since you found out he spent 20 plus hours of most days around two of the arguably hottest and most dangerous women in the galaxy.”  Shepard grinned back.  It was Amelia’s turn to laugh.  

Amelia turned to her husband and smacked him, “That’s for being a dummy, in 10 years you’ve never given me a reason to doubt you and you’ve never broken a promise while on assignment.  Get it through your head I trust you.” She softened the chastisement with a kiss. “Love you you big dolt.”

Shepard interjected, “So, just to clear the air for James's benefit.  Kennedy and I think of him like our older, dumber brother.” Wilson let out a snort of protest at this, and Shepard continued. “Plus, I should probably mention that I’d be more likely to hit on Kennedy than James.  If I were into dating and such, which I’m not.  And if Kennedy were into girls, which she isn’t.  She’s got a thing for… ow!” Maille interrupted Shepard with a slap to the back of her head and spoke primly “Lets just leave me out of that discussion please.”  Amelia and James dissolved into laughter and the rest of the evening passed with anecdotes surrounding their sillier antics in training.

The rest of the weekend was spent in much the same pattern.  The day’s were spent around the farm, playing with the kids, doing chores.  The evenings were spent in conversation or companionable silence.  Shepard presumed James and Amelia were spending their nights doing something - they both looked indecently happy every morning.

Monday morning, as they prepared to head back to the spaceport, Amelia pulled Shepard into the kitchen while Maille and Wilson loaded the aircar with the ‘help’ of the kids.  

“Lilias, James tells me that you’re actually the one in charge of things - the one in command he said?” Amelia asked in a serious tone.

Shepard cocked her head to one side as she leaned against the kitchen door frame. “When we’re in the field yes, I have a knack for getting us out mostly unscathed it seems.  Usually.  Why?”

“James is not as young as the two of you, frankly we were very surprised he was invited to the N-program.  All of his life, he’s wanted to serve.  To be the absolute best at what he does.  I’m afraid that will push him into doing something he shouldn’t so he can keep up.” Amelia said, looking down at her hands on the verge of tears, “I’m worried he’ll take on something he shouldn’t and won’t come home.”

Shepard stepped forward and hugged the older woman. “I can’t promise we’ll come through it unhurt - any of us may die out there. “  She brought herself level with Amelia's head and looked into her eyes. “Our job is dangerous, and as some people have said before 'we walk where angels fear to tread'.  We do it to protect places like this, families like yours.   He wouldn’t be the man you married if he were the sort to stay behind. But I promise you, but I won’t come back without him.  Alive, wounded, or dead - I swear to you that  I'll die before I’ll leave him behind, and be damned with the consequences.” She stepped back, releasing her.  

Amelia looked at her, surprised at the strength of that promise.  “I can see why James follows you, you are a dangerous one.” she stood and hugged Shepard again.  “Thank you, now go and keep yourselves safe out there.”


	10. Torfan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The highest grade of training, N6, provides actual combat experience in combat zones throughout the galaxy. If the trainee survives these scenarios in "admirable and effective fashion," he or she finally receives the coveted N7 designation. N7 is the only ICT designation that may be worn on field or dress uniforms."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Groundside**

**Torfan, 2078**

Maille sat at the controls of the MAKO ground combat vehicle as they plummeted from orbit towards the pirate stronghold on Torfan.  Wilson was at the communications console working out a route, while simultaneously trying to work his way into the pirate communications network.

Shepard was in the turret, and with nothing to do until they hit dirt was playing with her bracelet and debating a nap.

"30 seconds," Maille yelled over the rush of air and the whine of the MAKO's limited thrusters. "You figure a route yet?"

Right, no nap then. Shepard thought.

"Head north west, stay under cover of the ridgeline.  Looks like they either forgot to emplace some turrets and sensors, or they've built a handy Marine trap." Wilson called back.

The MAKO hit dirt with bone jarring force, but their shock harnesses and the inertial damper did their jobs and they were only lightly bruised.  Maille oriented the nose of the vehicle along the course Wilson plotted and floored it.  All six wheels kicked up a rooster tail of dirt as they sped off.

Shepard did a quick 360 traverse of the area with the gun controls, confirming function.  Checks completed she keyed her com to avoid shouting.  "Ok folks, review time.  We have three objectives to complete before we can enjoy the countryside of this airless rock.  First, we relay observations regarding fixed emplacements and troop movements to intel for drop planning.  Second, we create confusion and a diversion before the main force drops by using our initiative and likely high explosives.  Third, after the main force drops and diverts attention back away from us, we assault a heavily fortified enemy compound with the goal of retrieving one or more of the pirate leadership for interrogation and trial.  Are there any questions?"

Wilson replied over the com, "Well now that you put it that way, can..."

"No you cannot stay back to guard the radio.  I need you to carry the grenade launcher so Maille doesn't break a nail." Shepard interrupted.

Maille replied indignantly, "I am not so vain that I worry about my manicure when lives are at stake.  Besides, these gauntlets are specially made to protect them."  Her voice grew more serious, clipped, "Contact, nine o'clock, range 400, squad in the open. HE-I up ...send it."

Shepard had traversed as she heard the report, when Maille indicated they were lined up, her foot tripped the trigger for the MAKO's cannon.  From inside all you could hear was a muffled -whump- as the accelerator coils threw the high explosive - incendiary round down range.  Through Shepard's gunsite she could see the shot hit in the middle of the group of pirate troops.  Three of them went down, screaming as flames consumed them.  Two more had been blown to the side, likely injured.  Shepard brought up the coaxial chain gun and slewed the turret around as they passed, firing until the gun signaled an overheat.  No movement, aloud she said "Clear." as the MAKO sped on.

“I’m in!” Wilson shouted, and red lights began to pop on the map display as the MAKO VI began using the pirate coms to plot locations of troops and weapons emplacements.

“Get that feed connected to Jakarta’s CIC.” Shepard directed as she studied the map.  

“Done” he replied, “And I’ve got a gap in their weapons we can use - up the hill Maille, follow that path.”

“On it.” Maille maneuvered the ungainly armored vehicle up the slope, using the mass effect core to help them up the hill.  As they crested the rise, small arms fire began to spatter off the shields.  “Crap, thought you said it was clear Wilson.”

“Of heavies, I’d rather it be rifles than rockets girlie.” Wilson replied, a grin in his voice.

“Alright you two, Wilson get ready.  Maille, slave the controls to mine and get to the rear ramp.” Shepard ordered.  The others moved to obey and waited at the rear of the compartment holding onto the straps for dear life.  They’d seen Shepard drive before.

Shepard kept the speed close to the vehicle’s redline as they thundered down the hill towards the pirate bunker’s rear.  As they passed enemy troops she traversed the turret back and forth, expending a main gun shot every time the chain gun went into shutdown.  As they reached the flat the first portable rockets hit near them, kicking debris into the shields.  “Ok people, time to bail.”  Shepard set the VI to max the throttle in five seconds and headed to the hatch.  She hit the release and, as they’d practiced, grabbed the other two in a biotic field when they jumped from the rear hatch.  They slowed and hit the ground, still moving at least 30kph when she angled them into a boulder’s shadow.  As they hit the boulder and her field dissipated, the MAKO hit the bunker and exploded, blowing a eight foot hole in the simple concrete structure.  

“Damn! We make an entrance!” Maille shouted as she pulled her M7 from her hardsuit and started to lay down cover fire.

Shepard tossed a shockwave behind them at some overly brave pirates and called out, “Wilson, get a drone up.  We need to get inside.  I think we can count this as a distraction.”

Wilson nodded and drew a small ball from his harness, activating it with his omni-tool and tossing it towards the bunker. He drew his pistol and fired to their rear, while he watched the drone through his implants.

“It is so creepy when you do that.” Shepard said as she sucked down a gulp of sugary electrolytes from her armor's bladder.  She pulled her rifle from the stowed position and picked off a pirate who’d been drawing a bead on Wilson. “What’ve you got for us.”

“Two hostiles in the immediate room. One.  None - clear.  We can move when ready.” Wilson’s awareness returned fully and he switched to a machine pistol as he rose to a crouch.

Maille shifted to cover their rear as Wilson moved to the other side.  Shepard prepped her amp and took another rifle shot.  “Alright, I’m on point.  Wilson follow and prep another drone.  Maille on overwatch.”

Shepard rose and ran for the bunker.  As beat after she started, Wilson followed in her wake while Maille followed firing to their rear.  Shepard was nearly to the breach when a batarian staggered out with a rifle.  She didn’t slow, she threw him against the bunker wall with a biotic slam that left his armor leaking blood from its joints.  She turned as she passed the breach and took cover just inside.  “Maille, move your ass.”  she shouted and began to slam out rounds into the pursuing troops.  Wilson passed her, winded and holding his side - followed closely by Maille.  

“You alright Wilson?” Shepard asked.

“Armor’s got it.  Dropping the drone.”  He tossed the drone ball into the nearest vent shaft and took a knee firing out the breach.  A moment later there was a shower of sparks from the room’s only door and it slid open.

“Lets move.  Maille, point.  Wilson, find us a pirate leader.  I’ll cover the rear.” Shepard tossed a shockwave and nailed one of the pirates that lost his footing as the squad moved into the complex.

\-----

Twenty minutes later they had reached the command center, but were pinned by heavy fire from an automated gun at the door.  There weren’t a lot of pirates behind them, but there were enough left to make getting into the command center more of a necessity than option at this point, the pirates seemed very angry about something.  They needed to arrange to an exit and the pirate leader likely had a handy back door.  The promised ground assault had started, but failed to produce lowered pressure.  It was turning into a very bloody massacre topside as the fighting progressed through the tunnels.  

Lovely.  That gun is a pain. Shepard thought.  “Wilson, Maille, I’ll take ideas at this point.”  She popped another shot at someone down the hallway.  All of them had taken a few hits at this point, but medigel had sealed the wounds and their armor systems were holding.  

“Explosives?” Maille asked and took over covering the hall with neat economical bursts.  

“All out.  I’ve got an idea, but you’re not gonna like it.” Wilson said.

Shepard sighed, “I like dying less.  Lets hear it.”

“I take the gun the old fashioned way, close range fire.” Wilson fired over Shepard’s head.

“You’re right, I don’t like it.  Promised your wife I’d keep you from doing something stupid.” Shepard replied and fired down the hall.

Wilson laughed and fired again, “Well you shouldn’t make impossible promises then,  should you.  Look, its not suicidal.  I have the heaviest armor and my shields are in good shape.  You cover me with a field and I go in close and take it out.  We pop the door and we’re out of here.”

“I’m almost out of gas on the biotics, not going to be a lot of cover.” Shepard said, and if you knew her you could hear the fatigue.

“Then I’d best be quick.  On three?” Wilson replied.

Shepard nodded, “On three.  One…”

“Two…” Wilson redlined his shield generator.

Shepard turned towards the door a ball of blue light flying from her hand.  “Three!”  The ball hit the gun’s barrel and stayed there.  Rounds were punching through but they were slowed massively by the field.

Wilson ran forwards, trying to present a harder target and rolled into the wall under the gun, firing.  As his machine pistol signaled failure from overheat there was a small explosion and a shower of sparks.  The automated gun fell silent.

Shepard sank to her knees while Maille covered them.  Wilson got to his feet and jogged back towards them.  The door behind him began to open.

“Wilson!” Shepard screamed as rifle rounds hit him in the back.  He went down with a grunt in front of Shepard and her world went red.  She came to her feet with a snarl and charged the door.  The guard was trying to back in and close it but she caught her rifle and pulled her out of the room.  Twisting her arm in a move she’d been taught by Matriarch Lidanya, she slammed the guard to the floor with all of the hard trained and genetically enhanced strength she had - this time fueled by pure rage.  The guard’s arm snapped and her head bent at an unnatural angle.  She stomped down anyway, crushing the helmet half-way.

Turning, she drew her knife from her forearm sheath and slammed the blade into the chest of the guard who had been about to follow the first out of the door.  The density enhanced blade jammed into the backplate of the man’s armor and stuck.  She dropped the corpse, moved into the room and drew her pistol.  The room was empty save consoles and radios and one last man, dressed in a suit who was already dropping to his knees and putting his hands up.  “I.. I surrender.  I want to make a deal!” He was practically sobbing.  She grabbed him by the collar and slammed his head into the table.  He dropped to his knees senseless.

She turned to see that Maille had already dragged Wilson into the room and sealed the door.  Maille dropped her helmet and started pumping the last of their medigel into the port on Wilson’s armor.  “Hold on, just hold on Wilson. You’re too ugly to die this way.” Maille was fighting back tears after seeing the wound through the armor breach… breaches it seemed.

Wilson was awake, he looked at Shepard. “You have to go.  I can’t feel anything below my waist and you can’t get me and that, “ he nodded at the prisoner, “out of here.”  He coughed and a bit of blood dripped, “Mission comes first.”  

Maille stood over him, “No, no.  No dammit - no fucking way.  We all get out.  We’re a team dammit.”

“Maille.”  Shepard said, voice as cold as space. “Get the data drives.  He’s right, we can’t carry them both.”  She  drew her pistol.

Wilson closed his eyes as Shepard stepped over.  Maille shouted, “No, you can’t!”

Shepard raised her pistol and fired.  The prisoner’s head burst like a melon under the heavy round’s impact, splattering the wall with bits of bone and brain in a spray of blood.

Wilson opened one eye, saw the new corpse on the floor and both eyes widened.  Almost in unison both Maille and Wilson spoke, “Shepard, what di..”

Shepard stooped to retrieve her knife from the guard’s corpse.  She straightened, looked at her squadmates and sighed.  “Fuck the mission, I made a promise.  Now get the data drives, and let’s go.”

\-------

The Torfan mission had turned into a bloody massacre on both sides.  The Alliance lost the better part of a battalion in brutal tunnel fighting, but pirate losses had been effectively total.  Weeks later, they were still pulling bodies out of the complex.  The Batarian Hegemony decried the attack, calling it a murderous raid on a mining outpost.  The Alliance responded with captured video footage of pirate operations, data showing payoffs to the Hegemony and arms deals as well.  The Citadel Council had promised to ‘investigate the allegations of all parties involved.’  Shepard watched a the newsfeed  from a seat outside Captain Wruck’s borrowed office on the SSV Everest, in orbit over Torfan.   Admiral Hackett was on now,  fielding questions from a nasally reporter from the Citadel News Network.

“Admiral Hackett, what do you say to those who say that the bloody fighting and heavy losses were the result of intelligence failures and an overly aggressive policy of response to colony attacks?”  The caption under the reporter said Al-Jilani.

“I’d say that in any military operation there many variables contributing to the overall success and failure of the mission.  We would always prefer to limit casualties, but in at times there are no other options.  And in this case the mission was a success.  We eliminated the source of the forces that attacked Elysium, our special operations teams retrieved conclusive evidence of the pirate operations and partners, and we sent a message to anyone who would consider defenseless civilians a target.” He leaned forward and pointed into the camera. “Not on our watch.”

The feed cut to a suited man at a desk. “Admiral Hackett from Arcturus today, discussing the Battle of Torfan.”

Shepard tuned it out and waited.  Thirty minutes later the door opened and an ensign stepped out.  “Captain Wruck requests you join them.”

Shepard stood and smoothed the cloth of her dress uniform  She’d told Amelia that the consequences be damned and she’d meant it.  Still I hope I’m not a civilian in twenty minutes.  She stepped into the office, and saw that Maille and Wilson were already there.  Maille was standing at parade rest before the captain’s desk, face unreadable.  Wilson sat in a powered wheelchair.  The medics had done their best, but one of the rounds had completely severed the Lieutenant’s spine.  They had plans to try cybernetics to bypass the damage, but it was unlikely he’d ever be fit for active duty again.  Shepard’s face tightened as she saw him.   My fault dammit, I should have had a better plan.

“Captain.” Shepard said neutrally as she assumed a position next to Maille.

“Shepard.  I’ve been going over the Torfan report.  Your statement was clear, concise and pulled no punches.  Your honesty is to be commended.  I’ve spent the last hour comparing your notes to the accounts of Lieutenants Maille and Wilson.” he stood and looked at Shepard.  “Their statements differed from yours in only one major degree.  To a remarkably consistent level of detail, they both describe a prisoner who lunged for a weapon giving you no choice but to eliminate the threat to your wounded squadmate.”  Shepard started to speak, but Wruck raised a hand.

“No.” he said simply, then continued. “In reviewing the statements, it is well known that sometimes details can be forgotten or mixed up in recalling combat operations.  We see no reason to dispute the accounts of two out of three of the team.”

“Sir, that’s not what..” Shepard started again, but Wruck interrupted with a tired sounding sigh.

“Shepard, I know what happened.  You and your team took out the trash and you brought home your wounded squadmate.  Along with accomplishing most of a very difficult mission.  The Alliance can’t afford any additional spotlights on Torfan.  So the story stands.  And I read the psych eval of your team after. ”  he sat back down.  “We walk a fine line between the legal and illegal, between black ops and white ops - mostly gray ones.  We rely on our operatives to use their judgement, and sometimes mistakes are made.  The best of us learn from those mistakes and don’t let the experience make them darker.”  

He looked away for a moment.  “I don’t know if you were aware of it, but the N7 program has a motto. Unofficial, internal:   ‘We who fight monsters.’  We took it from Friedrich Nietzsche, who said ‘He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.’  I think you’ll draw the appropriate conclusions from this experience.”

He drew six boxes from his desk and laid them out.  Two in front of each of them.  “Those are for you.”

“Sir?” Shepard said they opened the smaller boxes to see small pins with a silver N7 on them.

Wruck waited a moment, then answered the question, “You passed. All of you.  Welcome to the team.”

Wilson spoke up, “Sir, I’m not going to be fit for..”  

“Wilson, you finished the course.  You may not stay on active duty, but you earned that pin.  And if you do want to stay in the service, we’d like you to take over some of the training programs.” Wruck interrupted him.  “What do you say?”

Wilson sat up as best he could, “Of course.”

Maille spoke finally. “What’s in the other one?”

Shepard hadn’t been willing to open it yet.  It was a familiar container, it was the one used for both medals and rank tabs and she didn’t feel like she deserved either.

Wilson looked at her.  “Open it Lil.”

Shepard’s hand moved almost against her will to flip the catch.  The box sprung open to reveal a set of rank bars.   Lieutenant Commander?   “Sir, I.. if this is some kind of way to keep Torfan…”

“Shepard, not everything is about your problems.” Wruck replied, smiling finally. “You all had at least two years in grade, along with excellent evaluations and scores in the N course.  Not to mention previous meritorious service, otherwise you wouldn’t have received a recommendation to the program.  Torfan paid a part, but mostly as a tough mission that ended up saving lives.  ”  he pointed to the tabs.  “You all earned those too.”

As Shepard put her new tabs on, Wruck continued talking.  “Now, you may have guessed from how we normally operate that the three of you would eventually be broken up.  Sadly that day has come.  I have your assignments.”  Maille and Wilson perked up as the put their tabs on.

“Maille, you’re being transferred to the SSV Einstein where you will take over the squadron command.  There is a push to have special operations trained personnel helping bring up the quality of the support operations.  That will be your job.”

“As I mentioned, Wilson, once you’re healed you’ll be transferred to a training post.  We’ll discuss details later, but I have the technical and linguistics program in mind.”

“Lastly, we come to you Shepard.  You are a bit of a square peg.  Prior to the program you were slated for a staff position, and you still need the experience to deal with future promotion.  But the Arcturus posting is not an LC’s billet.  We were still looking until this morning when we finally found a good fit for your experience that will give you the staff time  you need.  The Grissom Academy is expanding and including an Alliance Naval Academy adjunct program.  They’ll have an R&D division and a biotics training program.  Like the Academy they’ll need command rank officer to handle the evaluations and administrative/discipline tasks surrounding the cadets.  Usually its a Captain’s job, but there are only 150 students this time around.  And you’ll have an Ensign as an aide.  You’ll be there for about a year, then we’ll see where we need you next.”

\-------

Shepard and Maille had seen Wilson off on a medical transport back to Demeter that morning.  He’d finish convalescing at home, then report to Rio for the next N series class.  Amelia had sent a simple note.  “Thank you.”

They had several hours until their respective transports left and Arcturus had a variety of diversions as most transfer points would.  Maille was trying to convince Shepard that getting a tattoo was a perfect way to spend the time.  Shepard had been resisting until Maille pointed out it was a good way to have a permanent reminder of their N program training days.

The shop was smaller and out of the main corridors.  It was clean, but had little art on the walls compared to most shops.  It was run by an older man, large and calloused, with a bushy beard.  Maille was a bit unsure and almost backed out.  

“Nope, your idea.  You’re getting one too.” Shepard said firmly and led her into the shop.

The owner crossed his arms as he looked the two women over.  Shepard and Maille were in off duty civilian clothes and he immediately drew the wrong conclusion. “No bachelorette parties.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “Well that’s a relief, I was worried I was accidentally going to end up married instead of getting a tattoo for a second.”  Maille snickered.

The bearded man looked suspicious.  “Whad’ya want then.”

Maille spoke up, “I’m a traditionalist.  Navy Flight wings.  Right here.” she tapped her left shoulder.

“Start with hers, I’ll have to write mine down for you, its not likely you speak Gaelic.” Shepard directed.  Maille looked at her. “Something the Captain said reminded me of something Sergeant Major Karsten taught me.”

“You two in the service?” the owner asked.

Shepard nodded, “She’s Navy.  I’m a Marine.  Name’s Shepard.  That’s Maille.”  She was writing on a datapad while Maille sat in the chair and exposed her shoulder.

After about ten minutes of companionable silence, accompanied by the buzzing of the tattoo machine, a much tattooed young man stepped into the shop.  He looked a bit surprised to see anyone there.  Followed by a speculative look at Maille and Shepard.  The older man looked up from his work and grunted a laugh. “They’re out of your league boy - just here to get inked.”  He nodded at Shepard, “If you feel up to it, she’s got some text she wants.”

Shepard looked at the young man and at his nod moved and sat in the second chair. Oh well, just think of it like the locker room.  A locker room with windows facing a station corridor.  She snorted at the thought and shrugged.  Then she slipped out of her shirt.  The older man stopped, the younger man’s mouth was open.  Shepard was fairly certain it wasn’t her bra that had arrested activity.  Frankly she wasn’t that big.  It was probably the scars from Mindoir and Elysium and the hole in her shoulder that was still healing from Torfan.

The older man looked at the fresh wound for a moment and spoke, “Tom, switch with me.  You finish up her wings.  No embellishment.  Keep it simple.”  He sat in the chair next to Shepard.  “What and where” he said.

Shepard handed him the datapad and pointed at the area under her bra on the left side of her chest. “Along the ribs above my heart.”

He nodded and started to work.

Later Maille asked, “But what does it mean.”

Shepard smiled and said, “Its personal, and no I won't translate.”


	11. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard takes a short break before the events of ME1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Hoi An, Vietnam**

**Earth, 2183 (2 weeks prior to the start of the events of ME1)**

Commander Lilias Shepard sat under an umbrella on a towel reading.  She’d been on leave for three weeks and had just reached maximum relaxation.  She had tried all of the foods, avoided all of the passes, and spent time seeing the local ruins and hiking.  Now she fully intended on spending this last week of her accumulated leave planted on this  beach drinking from cups made of fruit with little umbrellas.

She was dressed about as far down as someone could be.  A straw hat that she’d bought in a local market from a little boy who’d been very persistently trying to pickpocket her.  A bathing suit she’d bought in the hotel gift shop because she didn’t own one and it seemed like the right size.  It turned out the top was a bit small, but she wasn’t planning on athletics.  She’d bought sandals at the same gift shop.  She wore an asari scarf as a skirt and felt almost girly for the first time in long while.  N7 operations had kept her moving around the galaxy giving her little time to unwind and little time for personal purchases.

Shepard let the heat of the afternoon leach away tension and paged through the back issues of the biochemical journals she subscribed to.  She felt a bit behind the times and was trying to keep up.  It was hard for her, even with her specialty, since she wasn’t working in the field.  Maybe I should take a leave of absence, teach or work in a lab.  Or maybe I should just go swimming.  She happened to look up as a harassed looking young man in a Navy Ensign’s uniform walked down the beach towards her.  Or not.  I’d wager my leave is over.

“Commander Shepard?” the Ensign, Randall his nametag read, said when he reached the corner of the beach Shepard had staked out.

Shepard rolled upright and put down the datapad. She looked up at the Ensign and nodded.

The Ensign stopped.  “Ah, sorry ma’am.” Randall looked like he was having trouble deciding what to look at.  The scars, the tattoo, her...chest or her face.

The ensign had apparently decided to stare at Shepard’s chest.  Guess I should redirect the kid.  “Ensign, what can I do for you.” she said aloud.

Randall stammered, “Um, yes ma’m.  I’m here to deliver a message.  You weren’t answering your com.”

“Yes, its because I was on vacation.  You should try it sometime.” Shepard replied, smiling.  “If it were an emergency they could get through to me.”

“Oh no, its not an emergency ma’am.” Randall assured her, “Its just that you’ve had a change of station and while they’re not officially canceling your leave they believed you’d need time to get ready.” he held out a datapad.

“Ah,” Shepard said taking the datapad.  “You know what’s in this?”  At the ensign’s nod, she continued “Give me the short form.”

“You’ve been selected to join Captain Anderson on the SSV Normandy SR-1 prototype frigate as his XO.” Randall said.

“Well.  Um.  That’s unexpected.” Shepard murmured.  She picked up her drink and drained it in one long swallow.  “Ok, thanks for the notification.  I’ll probably head out this week then.”

The ensign turned to leave, then turned back.  “You need something else Randall?”

“Ah, well, I was wondering if you were the same...”

“Shepard from Elysium?” Shepard interrupted.

“Well, I suppose.  Yes.”

“I am, but frankly I don’t like to talk about it.  I just did what any officer would do.” she said with just a hint of irritation.

He nodded, “I just wanted to thank you.  Its what made me want to join the service.  My family is from Elysium.”

“Ah, well, I was just glad help arrived quickly.  Didn’t mean to be rude.  Why don’t you tell me about it while you carry my towel and bag. “


	12. Normandy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the primary character of the game enters. The Normandy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**SSV Normandy**

**Sol System, 2183**

Flight Lieutenant Moreau’s voice came over the intercom.  “Arcturus prime relay is in range, initiating transmission sequence.”  Commander Shepard finished sealing her armor and walked out into the corridor.  She’d been aboard now for just about two weeks.  Enough time for most of the frigate’s small crew to become people rather than strangers.  The only wildcard in the deck was a Turian Specter they’d picked up on their way, Nihlus.  She didn’t really have a read on him yet.  She hadn’t had a lot of exposure to Turians so far.

As she walked through the CIC towards the cockpit, a few officers and ratings greeted her.  “Commander.” was the most common.  Things were still a bit formal for the new XO.  The Navy crew she had to work with didn’t always react to the same techniques Marines did.

She passed the navigator, Pressly, who nodded cordially.  Moreau continued the checklist for approach to the relay, “ We are connected, calculating transit mass and destination.”

She passed the sensor and weapons ratings, who were securing systems in preparation for transit, as she heard the final warning for the crew.  “The relay is hot, acquiring approach vector. All stations, secure for transit.”  Shepard stopped behind Moreau’s flight couch and watched the navigation display count down.  She’d  spent the past few weeks studying up on Naval procedure and operations most evenings.  Up until now, her concern with ships was mostly surrounding how to sneak around in them or blow them up from the inside.  “The board is green, approach run has begun.  Hitting the relay in 3… 2… 1..”  The universe, for lack of a better term, lurched as the relay seized the ship’s mass effect field and flung it across the galaxy.

“Thrusters check, navigation… check.  Internal emissions sink engaged.  Drift, just under 1500k.” Moreau reported.

Shepard nodded and heard Nihlus speak from behind her. “1500 is good.  Your captain will be pleased.”  Nihlus turned and walked towards the CIC.  Shepard was fairly certain that was a compliment, Turians were hard to read.

“I hate that guy.” Moreau grumbled.

Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko had taken the right hand seat for the jump and looked over at the pilot now.  “Nihlus paid you a compliment.  So you hate him?”

Moreau replied a bit hotly. “Look, you remember to zip up your jumpsuit coming out the bathroom, that’s good.  I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit target the size of a pinhead. That’s incredible.  Besides, Spectres are trouble.  I don’t like having him onboard, call me paranoid.”

“You’re paranoid.  The Council and helped fund this project and the Turians helped design it.  They a right to send someone along to keep an eye on the investment.”  Alenko said reasonably.  Shepard tended to agree, the ship would never had been finished without Turian design help on the drive core.

Moreau responded with, “Right, that’s the official story.  Only an idiot believes the official story.”

Heading off the argument, Shepard stepped in.  “I expect you’re both at least partly right.  It was inevitable that a Turian or Council rep would be onboard for the cruise.  Nihlus is both.  But he’s a Spectre too and from what I’ve read they aren’t generally used on shakedown runs, even for experimental stealth frigates.”

“So there’s more here than the Captain’s letting on.” Moreau concluded.  The com chimed.

“Joker!  Status report.” Captain Anderson’s voice came over the com.

Moreau sat up straighter and replied.  “We just cleared the relay.  Steal systems are engaged.  All systems nominal.  Everything looks solid.”

Anderson sounded a little harassed, distracted.“Good, link us into a com buoy.  I want mission logs and status reports uploaded before we hit orbit.”

“Aye, aye.   Better brace yourself.  Nihlus is on his way down to you I think.” Moreau answered.

Anderson sounded irritated, but also suspiciously like he was grinning if you knew him, which Shepard did.  “He’s already here, Lieutenant.  Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the com room for a debriefing.”

“You get that Commander?” Moreau inquired?

Shepard decided it was time for teasing.  “Yep.  You seem to have made the man angry Moreau.”

“Captain always sounds angry when I talk to him.” Moreau replied.

Alenko muttered, “Can’t imagine why that would be.”

Shepard smiled as she turned and headed into the CIC.  She could hear the two officers continue a cheerful bickering as she left.

\------

Joker looked at Alenko after the Commander had passed into the CIC, "So you've seen more of the XO since she came aboard.  What's your take on her.  Why'd Anderson pull her in?"

"You mean, apart from her being N7, a friend of the Captain's, a friend of Doctor Chakwas, the holder of the Star of Terra, possessing degrees in computer science and biochemistry?  Independently wealthy due to investments of real estate transactions by a certain influential ex-navy family friend/parliamentary representative?  Apart from those reasons?" Alenko replied. When Joker stared at him, he grinned. "Maybe its just because she's hot."

"So she's a superhero, just say she's a superhero." Joker shook his head and returned to his instruments.

\------

Pressley was arguing with the ships Chief Engineer, Adams, over the com.  “I’m telling you something's wrong.  He marched right by like he was on a mission.”

Adams voice came over the com, “He’s a Spectre, Pressley.  He’s always on a mission.”

“And he’s dragging this crew into it, its dangerous.” Pressly replied.

“Relax Pressly, you’re gonna give yourself an ulcer.” Adams said and signed off.

Shepard stopped, “Is there something I need to be made aware of?”

Pressley looked worried, of course he always looked worried.  He was one of the crew who hadn't warmed up to her yet. “Sorry, ma’am, I was just talking with Adams down in engineering.  I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

“Is there a reason you don’t trust our Turian guest?” Shepard asked.

"There's just something odd about this whole mission ma'am.  Its got me worried." Pressly replied.

"You think the Alliance brass is holding out on us?" Shepard inquired.

Pressly spoke faster as he warmed to the topic. "This ship has barely completed trials, so why are they rushing the shakedown run?  Why assign a man like Captain Anderson for a shakedown run anyway?  Then there's Nihlus, you don't send a Council Spectre on a shakedown either.  Things just aren't adding up."

"What else?" Shepard prompted.

"This ship is a prototype, stealth systems unlike anything else in space.  So why are we fully staffed?  There's no need, on a test run a skeleton crew would do as well and have fewer security leaks."  Pressly paused. "And Nihlus was a last minute addition.  I'm pretty sure this is just a cover for something else."

"Like what?"  Shepard frowned, she was thinking along the same lines but didn't want to create any more paranoia in the crew.

"I'm not sure" Pressly replied, "But I'm not a fan of being kept in the dark. And I keep coming back to Anderson.  He's got so many medals he could make a life sized statue of himself from them.  He's taking this mission too seriously for it to just be routine.  Something is brewing."

"So, back to Nihlus, seems like there's more than the last minute nature of his assignment." Shepard asked.

"I'm not fond of Turians in general, kind of a family tradition now.  My father fought at Shanxi, my grandfather was a Navy man as well.  We lost a lot of friends out there.  It just doesn't feel right, this being an Alliance vessel, a human vessel, but Nihlus isn't part of the chain of command, doesn't answer to the Captain." Pressley replied.  "He's not here to just observe, he's expecting heavy action.  I don't like it."

Shepard nodded, "I can understand your concerns, and I'll bring them up with the Captain.  Tactfully.  However, I need to make a few points.  First, this is a Human/Turian joint project.  Regardless of any feelings, there will be members of other navies aboard her as we shakedown.  You will need to adjust and work with them.  Second, while anyone - of any species - is a guest on this ship, they will be treated with courtesy and respect or I will know the reason why.  And third, next time bring your concerns directly to me.  I'm the XO on this very expensive tin can.  I need to hear about these things before they become rumors on the lower decks.  Clear?"

Pressly unconsciously came to attention and nearly snapped a salute.  "Yes ma'm!"

"Carry on." Shepard replied and walked back toward the com section.

Shepard could heard Corporal Jenkins talking with Doctor Chakwas as she approached the bulkhead before the com room hatch.  The ship layout was taking some getting used to.  It wasn't quite Human or Turian. Of course, being in the CIC as XO is taking some getting used to.  Doctor Chakwas had transferred aboard at Anderson's request about a week before Shepard had reported in.  She was a familiar and comforting presence.

"I'm telling ya doc, I grew up on Eden Prime, its not the kind of place that gets a visit from a Spectre.  There's something we don't know here." Jenkins said excitedly.

"You're crazy Jenkins, besides the Captain's in charge.  If something were going on that we needed to know, he'd see to it we were told.  You need to watch fewer spy vids."  Chakwas replied.  Shepard could hear a note of worry in her voice.

"What do you think Commander?" Jenkins asked as Shepard walked up. "We're not going to be on Eden Prime long are we?  I'm itching for action, I want to get out there."

Chakwas sighed with an exasperated air "I sincerely hope this is without 'action', it usually means I'm patching one of you up after."

Shepard paused for just a moment, Jenkins seemed like a good troop.  He had high scores and was recon qualified, but he was green.  Very green.  "I agree with the Doctor.  She's already had me on her table too many times for my taste.  Lets just hope this goes smoothly and quietly."

"I'm sorry Commander, this waiting is killing me.  Never been on a mission like this, never been around a Spectre before."  Jenkins shrugged.  "Its different for you.  You're N7, you've seen real combat.  You're the Hero of  the Blitz!  I still need a chance to show the brass what I can do."

"You're young Corporal, keep your head and don't do anything stupid out there.  You've got a long career ahead of you if you stay smart and stay cool."  Shepard replied.  "The Captain's waiting for me, but we'll talk later. I'll explain a bit of what the medals and recognition cost."

 


	13. Eden Prime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first mission, follows canon pretty much. A bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Eden Prime**

Shepard walked through the hatch of the com room and saw that the Captain wasn't there, Nihlus was though.  A picture and vital statistics report about Eden Prime were on the room's large display.  Shepard had seen the room but hadn't spent a lot of time in it yet.  She'd been spending most of her time familiarizing herself with crew service records and the ships core systems.  This was designed to serve a dual purpose as a communications hub, connected to the FTL com buoys that dotted most inhabited systems and as a briefing and conference room.  Space was at a premium on frigate class vessels and the Normandy was more cramped that most.  So much so that most of the ratings hot bunked in the sleep pods on the crew deck.

Given all that she'd seen and studied, it was clear that the Normandy was designed from the keel out as a special operations vessel.  She wasn't heavily armed enough to be a commerce raider and she sacrificed some systems she'd need to take part in fleet actions as part of a capital ship's screen in order to wedge in her oversized drive and IES systems.  Her speed, stealth, and light armaments seemed to be designed around the concept of putting a small team down just about anywhere and retrieving them.  Often without anyone knowing they'd even been there.  As the facts had started to coalesce, it was clear Anderson had pulled Shepard in for her groundside experience.  Being the XO of a ship like this would give her valuable experience for her future career, but she felt strangely relieved that it didn't seem like she'd be expected to exercise a shipboard command permanently.

These thoughts brought her around to Nihlus.  Why was a Council Spectre aboard.  Since the ship was built for covert operations, it seemed obvious that this run to Eden Prime was going to be either a covert insertion or extraction.  I wonder if we're here to retrieve a Council team that had already been in place perhaps.

Nihlus didn't turn as she approached, but spoke "Shepard.  I'm glad you are here.  I'd hoped for a chance to speak to you privately."

"What about?" Shepard replied as she stepped up beside him and looked at the display.

Nihlus looked at her and gestured at the screen. "This Eden Prime, I’m curious about it.  Its quite beautiful I’m told."

Ah, the 'anything but the actual topic' approach. she thought, aloud "I'm told its been called a paradise.  I've never been here actually."

"Yes.  Peaceful, tranquil, serene, secure.  Something of a symbol for your people.  Proof that humanity can establish colonies across the galaxy and protect them.  But how safe is it really." Nihlus seemed to be probing for something as he searched her face for a reaction.

Shepard had long practice at keeping her emotions in check but this time decided to let a little out.  She wasn't fond of the colonies being used for political games. She let her face harden, voice change with just a little bit of the feral edge she took into a fight, "You know I don't feel its safe.  Some would have said the same thing about Mindoir at one time.  Before the Raid.  What exactly are you asking?"

Nihlus didn't exactly step back, it was hard to read Turian body language but it did seem a bit like the reaction of an animal that just realized it was in the presence of another predator.  "The galaxy is a dangerous place Commander.  Few truly realize just how much.  Is the Alliance prepa..."

"I think we better tell the Commander why we're really here." Anderson said as he walked over.  His voice was calm and tone neutral.  "I would suspect she already knows this is no longer just a simple shakedown run."

Nihlus looked at the Captain, and at Anderson’s nod.  "We had a change of plans less than one standard day ago when an archeological dig on Eden Prime reported the discovery of a Prothean beacon.  In accordance with treaty obligations, your government reported the find and requested permission to move it to the Citadel for joint study."

Anderson continued, "Believe it or not, Nihlus had been slated to the Normandy for a series of missions anyway.  Given his presence, our stealth capabilities and your special operations experience we were selected to make a covert pickup on Eden Prime."

Shepard nodded, “And the last time we found Prothean tech it jumped our technology ahead by hundreds of years.  I can see how valuable it is.  But sir," She turned ignoring Nihlus for the moment and looking directly at Anderson, "with all due respect this is not something that will stay covert.  Colonists know, the excavation team knows.  Soon our crew will know.  Once this hits the Citadel it will get out.  My official recommendation is that we call in a  bigger escort and do this with more security rather than secrecy."

Anderson nodded, "Noted, and for what its worth I argued the same point.  We were overruled and dispatched anyway." He paused, " I wasn't going to complicate things, but since Nihlus will be involved in the pickup, there is one other point, not regarding this mission but the reason Nihlus is here overall. He's here to evaluate you."

"I suppose that's why I've been running into you every time I turn around.  Why?"

"Because Shepard, we believe you may be a good fit to join us as a Spectre.  It is why I put your name forward as a candidate." Nihlus said.

"The Alliance has been pushing for a larger role in galactic politics, and the Spectre organization is seen as a direct extension of the Council's prestige and authority.  If they were to accept a human into their ranks, the Alliance would receive a massive boost to its influence and image." Anderson pointed at Shepard, "All of the parties agreed that we'd like that candidate to be you."

"I'm honored to be considered, but I am curious why a Turian would put my name in the running." Shepard asked.

"Not all Turians resent Humanity, many of us see the potential of your species.  You have advanced quickly, some say too quickly, but that is an indicator of how far you may one day go.  Many species take thousands of years to advance even with Prothean hints.  I myself care little for where someone comes from.  I only care that you can do the job."  he looked distant for a moment, "The mixture of qualities and talents needed to so the job of a Spectre are rare in any species.  When I read reports of your actions during the Skylian Blitz and acquired a copy of your confidential service record, I knew were were looking at someone who could could be a valuable member."

Anderson sighed, "Not exactly how I'd envisioned telling you or what we'd considered for the first series of observational missions.  Still, it should provide a good chance..."

"Captain Anderson, we have a priority transmission coming in from Eden Prime." Flight Lieutenant Moreau's voice came over the intercom.

"Put it up on screen, Joker." Anderson commanded.

The screen cleared of its information display and a series of shaky, disjoined images of marines started to appear.  They were obviously fighting something, firing weapons.  Combat noises overlaid their voices shouting orders.  A face appeared on the screen.  "...212th, we need reinforcements, under attack from unknown forces... came out of nowhere..."  From out of view something hit the marine who'd been speaking and he went down.

The image shifted as the person operating the com unit move the pickup.  The image passed a squad with rifles to shoulder who slowly lowered them in stunned shock as they looked at something in the sky.  The pickup turned and a brief view of an immense ship, that looked somewhat like a grasping skeletal hand, could be seen dropping from the upper atmosphere.  Lines of energy radiated along it its arms.  A sound of firing could be heard and the com unit hit the ground.  Then it went to static.

"That's it Captain, it just cuts out.  There's nothing, no chatter, no com traffic at all." Moreau said.

Anderson looked grim, "Reverse and hold at 38.5"  The image of the unknown ship took center screen again.  Nihlus took it in calmly, little sense of tension.   

"Joker, what's our status." Anderson barked.

"19 minutes from atmosphere.  IES operational.  All systems nominal.  No other Alliances vessels in system." Moreau answered instantly.

"A small strike team could get in, get the beacon before we're discovered." Nihlus spoke up for the first time since the video started.

Anderson nodded, "Shepard, tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up and meet you in the cargo hold.  You're going in.  This mission just got a lot more complicated."

\------

Shepard, Alenko and Jenkins stood in the cargo hold preparing their gear.  Shepard was ready, but she had developed a habit of trying to be ready and watch the rest of the squad suit up.  It came from all the way back to her first platoon command.  She’d watched her sergeant take the time to check over everyone’s gear personally and she’d started hanging back and watching after their first drop.  It seemed to calm everyone’s pre-mission jitters if someone at least looked like they were taking an interest in the prep.  Her squadmates finished loading up and she stood from the crate she’d rested against.  “Ok, before everyone else gets here.  I want to make a couple of points.  First, we have zero intel on what attacked the colony, so I want you both to stay sharp, but hang back and let me take the lead.  I don’t want to sound arrogant, but this is exactly what I’m trained for and you aren’t.   Second, it is a colony.  We’ll be going in near a civilian dig site and spaceport.  We may encounter scared and trigger happy civilians or local marine or militia survivors.  So standard peacetime ROE’s are in effect.  You may not fire unless there is an imminent threat, in which case you may fire pre-emptively.  You must issue warnings to any non-combatant you encounter.  However, if we are engaged, we go to wartime ROE’s and the immediate area becomes a kill zone - on my authority.  Questions?”

Alenko spoke up, “Yes, Commander, what exactly are we going in after?”

“Short answer, Prothean beacon.”  Shepard replied.

Nihlus and Captain Anderson arrived on the cargo deck and walked over to the ramp.  “You ready Shepard?” Anderson asked.  Shepard nodded.

“Entering atmosphere.” Moreau’s voice came over the intercom.  “Approaching drop point one.  Someone was doing some serious digging here Captain.”

“Your team is the muscle in this operation, go in heavy and head straight for the dig site.”  Anderson directed.

“What about survivors Captain?” Alenko asked.

“Assisting any survivors is a secondary objective.  The beacon is the primary concern.” Anderson answered.

Jenkins saw that Nihlus was preparing as well.  “Nihlus, you’re coming with us?

“I move faster on my own.” Nihlus replied and dropped from the hatch as the Normandy slowed.  Once he cleared the drive perimeter, Moreau lifted and changed course.

“Nihlus will scout ahead and feed you status reports throughout.  Apart from that I want radio silence down there.” Anderson answered the next question that had been on the squad’s minds.

“We’re ready to go, sir.” Shepard replied.

Anderson nodded as the Normandy banked and slowed.  “The mission’s yours now Shepard, good luck.”

“Approaching drop point two.” Moreau announced.

Shepard and the squad stepped to the  ramp and dropped the remaining six feet to the ground.

\-----

Shepard was looking at her map update while Alenko and Jenkins checked the immediate drop zone.  As she finished and prepped her rifle, the two others returned.

“Drop point secure Commander.  We’re ready to move.” Alenko announced.

Shepard nodded, “Let move, stay on my six.  Jenkins, anything local I need to know?”

“No Commander,  no unusual terrain.  Native life is pretty much harmless.” Jenkins replied as they followed in her wake.  Shepard had plotted a pretty direct route to the dig site, hugging a boulder strewn valley.

They rounded the corner and Shepard raised a hand, signaling a halt.  Something’s not quite right.  She unsealed her helmet and sniffed.  Normal dirtside smells.  Plus burning composites, and bodies it seemed.  There was an unpleasant ozone tinge…  Jenkins had worked around a boulder and looked like he was about to move forward, Shepard signaled, but  he either ignored her or didn’t see it.  As he moved out into the open between rocks, the ozone smell Shepard had detected intensified and two hovering drones popped up firing.  Whatever they were using was fast and apparently very damaging to shields.  Jenkins went down, most of his torso gone.  Goddamnit, I should have made him stay on the ship.

Since they were blown, radio silence was out the window now.  Long range com was jammed, but squad local coms were up.  “Alenko, stay left, stay down.”  Shepard snapped out of cover with viperish speed, rifle tracking to where she’d estimated the drone’s flightpath had taken it.  As she saw the drone, she corrected slightly and the big rifle slammed her shoulder with recoil.  The drone exploded, but she’d already returned to cover.  The second drone had take up firing at the rock Alenko was hiding behind.

“Alenko, reinforce your barrier and move forward and left, next cover is five meters.” Shepard ordered.  Alenko’s barrier should be considerably stronger than Jenkins’ standard suit shield was.  Alenko was moving.  Shepard waited half a heartbeat and rolled out with her rifle.  The second drone was tracking Alenko’s movement and Shepard hammered it with a shot through its side.  There was a shower of sparks, but no explosion and the wounded drone turned towards her.  Shepard rolled back into cover as it opened fire on her.

Alenko saw it shift its fire to Shepard and that the drone was presenting a perfect target now.  Its shields were offline and he didn’t bother with his pistol.  He tossed a warp field at it, almost without thought.  The drone dropped, shredded.  As it died, he ran to Jenkins and saw the damage clearly for the first time, and stared.  “Dammit.”

Shepard stepped up beside him, “We’ll tag him for recovery and burial - but we can’t do anything now.  We have to move.  You ok to do that?”

Alenko nodded, “Yes, Commander.”

Shepard led the way up the valley, along the way they encountered a few more drones, but they weren’t very smart and followed very nearly identical attack patterns.  Shepard had switched to a machine pistol to knock down shields so she and Alenko could finish them off with singularities and warps.

“Hold up, last stretch before the dig site.  Let me take a look.” Shepard crouched by a tree and looked down the next section of the route.

\----

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams was running for her life.  It wasn't how she'd expected today to go, she'd expected a boring day of watching the perimeter of the dig site and an early night to catch up on correspondence.  Followed by turning the artifact over to other parties and then back to the garrison.  Then the ship had dropped out of nowhere and Geth, freaking Geth, had started slaughtering everyone in sight.  Her people had held the perimeter for as long as they could, but a group of Geth rocket armed units had dropped inside the secured area and torn the line up.  They'd scattered, and Williams was pretty sure she was the only one left.  If I can lose these drones I might even last another 20 minutes.

The ground was leveling off in the depression and she saw her chance with a patch of gravel.  Lucky I'm wearing heavy armor, she thought as a shot of some kind hit her in the back.  She rode the impact using it to jump forward, twisting in mid air.  She hit the gravel on her back and skidded, drawing her heavy pistol and firing until it overloaded.  The drones dropped and she rolled into the cover of a boulder, there would be more coming.  She holstered the pistol and took her M7 from its hardpoint, watching to the right as she looked for a firing position.

The geth trooper had moved up while she'd been distracted by the drones and was raising its carbine now, Williams back was exposed.  She heard the whine of its servos an whirled, only to see it slammed to the ground by a heavy calibre penetrator.  She heard additional firing as a singularity went off over to her right.  She looked up and saw two black armored figures rise from cover at the other end of the depression.  It seemed the immediate threat was gone so she racked her rifle and waited.  She wasn't going to question a last minute save, even if they were strangers.

The pair's looked like they were wearing standard marine shipboard issue armor.  They got a little closer and she could tell the shorter of the two was a woman.  The man carried a pistol and not much else in gear.  The woman seemed to subscribe to the 'more is better' school of weapons with an unfamiliar heavy rifle in her hands, M7, Carnifex, what looked like a Tempest and a shotgun.  As they got closer, Wiliams unconsciously drew herself to attention.  The ident tag on the man said Lt. Alenko and the woman's read Cmdr Shepard.  Then she gulped as she noted the N7 insignia.  Shit, that Shepard?

\-------

Shepard looked over the garrison marine's armor as they approached.  It looked like it was in fairly good shape, but not Alliance issue.  The 212th must have been here for a while to see that kind of variation.  Aloud she said, "I'm Commander Shepard, this is Lieutenant Alenko.  We've just dropped from the Normandy, inbound to pickup the beacon from the dig site.  What's your status?"

"Ma'am, I'm glad to see a friendly face.  I'm Gunnery Chief Wiliams of the 212th.  I think everyone else from my unit is gone, its been more than an hour since I could raise anyone.  Oh god, the site, the colony - they're all probably..."  Williams was starting to shake, it looked like this may have been the first break she had in a while.

Shepard put a hand on her shoulder, "Williams, take a deep breath, are you injured - can you move, take us to the site?"

"No ma'am, I'm not hurt, just bumps and scrapes.  The site's just up there towards the camp.  I can show you." Williams replied pulling herself together.

"Good, Alenko - move up on the right.  Williams, if you're solid we can use the extra gun, link in and take Alenko's flank." Shepard looked at the Chief.

"Aye aye ma'am.  Time to get some of our own back." Williams readied her rifle and dropped in on Alenko's left.

\-------

The dig site had been a bust outside of a few more geth units and the survivors at the camp hadn't been able to add anything to Williams story.  Williams had proven to be a good soldier, covering their flank and integrating well as a squadmate.  She'd also held it together well when they started encountering some kind of hybrid synthetic husk the geth were making from the corpses of colonists.  Luckily the husks had turned out to be vulnerable to biotics.  Shepard and Alenko had been able to deal with them via a combination of waves and singularities. Shepard was impressed with Williams' professionalism so far - something didn't track right about her being a garrison troop.

Nihlus' radio updates had grown more terse as he encountered more evidence of the geth's slaughter.  His last transmission was that he'd been headed towards the local spaceport.  The survivors at the camp had told them the beacon was moved there just prior to the geth attack, so they were headed up the trail to the spaceport now.  Shepard was not happy at the Spectre's silence - especially given the intel that the beacon had been moved.

\-------

Nihlus didn't like the look of this attack.  It was too close on the discovery of the beacon to be a coincidence.  This meant the geth had either the Humans compromised or someone in the Council was involved.  He was starting to agree with Shepard that secrecy had been less important than security.  He evaded the geth patrolling the spaceport perimeter and moved out onto the cargo platform.  As he stepped out from cover he saw a movement and raised his weapon, lowering it when he saw who it was.  "Saren!  What are you doing here?"  

Saren turned toward Nihlus and said, "The Council just thought you could use some help on this one."

Nihlus turned back to the ruined colony and shook his head.  "This is bad, the geth haven't been seen outside the veil in years.  And to see them this far into the Traverse?  And in these numbers?  Plus, how did they know the beacon was here, this is too much coincidence."

"I agree," Saren replied from behind Nihlus.  He drew his heavy pistol, "But don't worry, I've got it all under control."  Nihlus crumpled to the ground, his head a ruin from the heavy round fired into the back of his skull.

Neither Saren, nor the geth stepping from concealment, noticed the terrified dock worker hiding behind the storage crates.

\------

Shepard paused as they neared the crest of the hill the trail followed and checked her map, signaling for a halt.  The spaceport was just up ahead and down the other side of this hill.  She drank from her armor's bladder and taking a moment to toss down a 'field electrolyte and carbohydrate supplement', which tasted as good as it sounded.  She signaled for Alenko to do the same.  Williams kept watch while the biotics replenished.  "Ok,  we're almost there, lets take this part slow and watch for ambush.  Alenko, take point.  Williams, overwatch on Alenko.  I'll close the door behind us."

They moved off up the last  few meters and were deafened as the roar of a massive ship's engines started.  They watched as the ship Shepard had seen in the transmission during the briefing,  lifted on twin pillars of flame and smoke.  If its leaving...  "Double time people, they seem to have gotten what they came for.  We need to get down there."  Shepard led the team into a trot, switching to her machine pistol as she moved.

They encountered a group of the recently encountered husks and geth troopers, but their actions seemed less coordinated.  Maybe the ship acted as a control?  They were able to destroy the synthetics at range and made it to the cargo platform with no further hiccups.  Shepard gestured for Alenko and Williams to move ahead while she kept watch.  A few moments later Alenko called her.  "Commander, its Nihlus."

Shepard walked over and looked down at the body of the Spectre.  Shot from behind, no signs of a general fight.  Somethings not right here.  She heard a noise from crates and without looking up, gestured for Alenko to move around the side.  Williams flicked the safety on her rifle and nodded minutely when she saw Shepard's gesture.

Shepard turned suddenly to the crate she'd heard the noise from, pistol raised.  "Come out now." she commanded and a mousy looking man in a rumpled coverall stood up quickly yelling.  "Don't shoot, don't shoot!  I'm not one of them!"

"Sneaking around like that nearly got you shot.  Who are you?" Shepard asked.

"Ppp..Powel.  Look I was just trying to stay safe, I didn't have anything to do with that." he pointed at Nihlus, "But I know what happened.  That other Turian shot him."

"Other Turian," Shepard said, "What other Turian, tell me what you know."

"I was hiding out behind the crates, catching a nap where the sup wouldn't bother me.  Then all of a sudden this noise drilled into my head and that big ship was landing on the other side of the spaceport.  Then the geth started killing everyone.  So I figured I best stay hidden.  There was this Turian walking around, giving orders to the geth.  Then your friend there showed up.  They seemed to know each other, your friend called him Saren.  They talked and that one seemed to relax a bit, turned his back.  Then the other one shot him!" Powel replied in a rush, "I swear that's all I know."

"Sounds like being lazy is all that saved your life.  Look, Powel, we're going to need to know what happened to the Beacon.  The thing the scientists were digging up.  Where would they have taken it?"  Shepard asked.

"Other side of the spaceport.  There's a big platform.  You can take the tram, the other one - that Saren guy, did."

\------

Williams was standing at Shepard’s back while Alenko pushed an enormous geth trooper off a ledge.  Shepard was lining up a shot on another of the juggernaut sized geth when Williams suddenly fired, with the barrel of her M7 inches from Shepard’s head, at a drone that popped up to their right.  “Ow” Shepard said mildly as she put a heavy penetrator through the giant geth’s flashlight head.  

Williams yelled back, “Not sorry, this is getting ridiculous Commander.  We need to move before they swamp us.”

“Agreed.  Alenko! Drop a singularity and then run for it.  Williams, with me.” Shepard shouted.  As she racked her rifle Williams had already turned to their front.  Shepard retrieved her machine pistol and tossed a shockwave, following it by running.  Williams yelled “Shit” then followed.  Shepard was firing rapidly, trying to keep the geth pinned or drop shields for Williams to nail them.  From time to time she’d throw a geth with her biotics, but she could feel a mental fatigue wearing at her.  Alenko was slowing as well, but still covering their backs as best he could with pistol fire.  The run down the catwalk to the tram continued for what felt like an hour, but was actually only a few minutes.  The path behind them was littered with geth and geth parts, and their armor was scorched and streaked with fluids, but they had managed the run with no major injuries.

“Take….”  Shepard panted… “...five.  But only after you get the tram moving.  Williams, get on it.”

\------

The images faded from Saren’s mind as the beacon released him and he dropped to the ground.  These don’t make sense, they’re not complete.  He growled in rage.  “Set the charges.  Destroy everything - leave no evidence.” he directed the geth around him.  Without another word he boarded his shuttle and left the accursed human colony behind.

\-------

As the tram pulled up to the other end of the spaceport, Shepard could see more geth lining up to try and stop them as a shuttle streaked skyward.   Shepard dove for cover, dragging Williams down as the geth opened fire.  Alenko was already raising a barrier and covered them while he ducked.  He dropped the barrier as soon as Williams and Shepard had made it into the shadow of  a structural member.  Williams nodded in thanks and popped up, dropping two of the synthetics with rapid bursts.  While her rifle cooled she asked, “Orders ma’am?”

Shepard was about to pop up, order them to take it to the geth and charge when she noticed the demolition charge.  Fuck.  “You and Alenko, cover and move forward.  Take it to them but don’t take chances.  I’ve got to deal with this… check that. These” Shepard ordered as she checked the results of the radiation scan she just ran.   Five of them.  There won’t be a colony left.

Williams looked at the charge and swallowed. “Aye, aye ma’am.” and turned to follow in Alenko’s wake.

Shepard activated her omnitool and drew an old fashioned toolkit from her belt.  Scan shows four minutes remaining…  lets see if I can remember the circuit diagram…  She whistled a tune while she worked, frowning as she  removed the cover plate.  No anti-tamper device.  They must not have thought anyone would be here to disarm it.  While she bypassed the firing circuit she didn’t even notice when she started singing quietly…

‘Pay close attention

Don't listen to me from now

George'll be flying this one

And it's anyone's guess how he does ….”

Alenko heard the soft singing come over the open circuit and looked at Williams who shrugged.  As far as Williams was concerned, an N7 marine was welcome to a few quirks. “Alright, that’s got one of them.” Shepard’s voice came over the radio as the singing stopped.  “Four to go.  Now that I’ve got it down shouldn’t be bad…” Shepard ran past Alenko at this point, rolling under geth fire to the next of the charges.

Williams yelled “Shit… ma’am, wait for us!” and charged up to cover Shepard.  Alenko waited for a short lull in fire and moved up as well.  The geth were thinning out now, they’d probably have the last few by the time Shepard was done with the charges.  About the time he finished moving up and resumed fire, Shepard was running to the next demo charge.  It looked like she’d refined her technique to simply lopping off the detonator with an antique fighting knife.  Williams was covering her admirably, keeping up a steady heatsink conserving fire.  Alenko contented himself with picking off exposed geth with single aimed pistol shots.

It went like that for the next several demo charges, until they’d reached the last one.  “Crap, this one’s got a remote.  One second.” Shepard said and started working.  Williams and Alenko moved up to cover the stairwell into the loading area, picking off husks and geth now.  Shepard finished with the remote, and removed the detonator.  As she stood she saw the husk climbing down the outside of the spaceport wall, using all four limbs like some kind of insect almost, towards Alenko’s exposed back.  Well, that’s not creepy at all. she thought.  She drew her pistol and cracked off one shot.  The husk’s head shattered and Alenko whirled to see Shepard holstering her gun.  “Need to work on your situational awareness LT.” Shepard said and pointed to the husk that fell to the ground near him. “Charges disabled, lets go find us a beacon.”

\-----

As they reached the cargo area’s floor they seemed to be clear for the moment.  No more husks or geth were appearing, and there were few or no sounds of combat.  Shepard looked at the glowing crater where the large ship had landed.  This is worse than Mindoir in a way.  Williams gasped, “My god, its like someone dropped a bomb.”

Shepard tore her gaze away from the crater and looked at the beacon.  It showed classic Prothean lines and was glowing with a cloud of greenish energy and little electrical arcs.   Shepard nodded, and turned away, activating her com.  “Normandy, this is Shepard.  Beacon is secure.  Request immediate evac…”

Alenko was looking at the beacon.  “This is amazing, actual working Prothean technology.  Unbelievable.” Williams looked over and said, “It wasn’t doing that when the team dug it up.“  Alenko nodded, “They must have activated it somehow.”   

Shepard turned, watching the other two while she listened to the Moreau’s acknowledgment.  “Roger, Normandy.  Standing by.”  Williams stepped over to Shepard and looked like she was about to speak when the beacon let out a pulse of energy.  Alenko tried to back away, but he seemed to be pulled toward the beacon by some force.  Shepard didn’t think, she pushed Williams down and leapt for Alenko, grabbing him and throwing him back toward Williams.  Had she been fresh, she probably could have pulled herself or Alenko clear biotically.  This time, she had to play fair with physics and was propelled into the beacon’s energy field.

Shepard felt herself lifted from the ground and then the world went black as her nerves were set aflame.  A series of images.  Red skies.  Fire.  Burning flesh, but no flesh she’d ever sensed before.  Horrors of machine and rotted corpses shambling.  Vast black ships.  Cities in ruins.  Masses of unfamiliar races, limbs raised in supplication, slaughtered.  Then a hundred more images, faster, unintelligible.  Then the images stopped and the pain vanished into unconsciousness.


	14. Interlude 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short one to take us into the Citadel. I promise to actually get to Liara soonish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An expansion on my version of Commander Shepard's early years and possibly the events of the games as well. Its a bit rambling and will skirt the official canon just a bit, but major events are unchanged. The timelines may be a bit bent as well.

**SSV Normandy**

**Citadel Orbit, Widow System 2183**

Shepard woke slowly.  This headache is familiar, almost like being 16 again.  She could hear people moving around and opened her eyes to the familiar environment of a standard Alliance medbay bed.  As she sat up and hung her legs from the side she heard a voice from behind her. “I’d appreciate going a month or more without seeing you in my medbay, young lady.  Except for social visits of course.  How are  you feeling?”

“Only minor throbbing.  And Karin, you know how I like to give you challenges to keep your skill sharp.  How long was I out.” Shepard said holding her head.

Doctor Chakwas stepped to her side and checked her pulse before stepping back and commenting.  “About 15 hours.  Something happened with the beacon.”  

Alenko spoke from the other side of the room.  “Its my fault, I must have triggered some kind of security protocol when I approached it.  You had to yank me out of the way.”

“You had no way to know what would happen.”

“Actually we don’t even know if that’s what set it off.” Chakwas interrupted, “Unfortunately it doesn’t look like we’ll get the chance to find out.”

Alenko stepped over and nodded, “The beacon exploded.  Overload maybe.  The blast knocked you out cold.  Williams and I had to carry you back to the ship.”

"Thanks, I appreciate it.” Shepard replied.  Alenko nodded.

“Physically, you’re fine.  But I detected some unusual brain activity.  Abnormal beta waves.” Chakwas continued, “I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming.”

“I’m not sure I’d call it a dream.  But I saw… well I’m not sure what I saw.  Death, destruction, nothing’s really clear.” Shepard shook her head.

Anderson stepped through the hatch. “How’s our XO holding up?”

“All of her readings look normal now, I’d say the commander’s going to be fine.” Chakwas replied.

“Good, I need to speak to the commander.  In private please.” Anderson waited for the others to file out.  “You alright Lil?  Seems like that beacon hit you pretty hard.”

“I don’t like losing people.  Jenkins’ death is on me.” Shepard looked down.

Anderson snorted, “Bullshit.  Look, I don’t like losing the kid either, but that’s not on you.  Alenko’s report is clear, Jenkins pretty much disobeyed a direct order and died after your team encountered something no Alliance team had faced before.”  Shepard looked up at his astringent tone and nodded.

“Ok, one other thing bothering me.  What happened to that Chief Williams?  She was holding it together, but I didn’t like how she looked when she mentioned losing her unit.” Shepard asked.

“I had her transferred to the Normandy.  I figured if she could hang with you and Alenko in a firefight, she’d be an asset.” Anderson answered.

Shepard nodded gingerly, “Then nothing else sir.  I’m ready for duty.”

“Then lets get to it.  I’m not going to lie to you, things look pretty bad.  Nihlus is dead.  The beacon was destroyed and the geth are invading.  The Council is going to want some answers.” Anderson explained..

“We stand on the truth then.  I believe we took the best course of action given the circumstances.  Hopefully the Council will listen to the facts.” Shepard replied.

Anderson nodded and turned to look at nothing. “I’ll stand behind you and your report, Shepard.  You know that.  That’s not why I’m worried.  Its the other Turian Alenko and Williams mentioned.  Saren. He’s a Spectre, one of the Council’s best.  A legend would not be putting it lightly.  But if he’s working with the geth, then he’s gone rogue.  And he hates humans.”

“He didn’t come to Eden Prime just because he hates humans.  He needed that beacon for something.”

“You’re right, he wouldn’t risk exposing his alliance with the geth lightly.  You were there before the beacon exploded.  Did you get any sense of what Saren was after?” Anderson asked.

“Just before I was knocked out, I had some kind of… vision I suppose is the best word.  Disjoined images and concepts.  Nothing clear, but I got the sense it was a warning.  There were synthetics of some kind, slaughtering organics.” Shepard replied.

“We need to get your report to the Council.”

Shepard snorted, “And tell them what, I had a bad dream?”

Anderson shook his head, “We don’t know what else was in that beacon.  Lost technology?  Blueprints for a superweapon?  Whatever it was Saren got it and got away.  I know Saren.  His reputation and politics.  He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy, and this act of war won’t be the end of it.  “ Anderson turned back to Shepard, “He has whatever secrets were in the beacon, and an army of geth at his command.  He won’t stop until he’s wiped humans from the face of the galaxy!”

“Not on my watch, sir.  I’ll take him down.” Shepard said firmly.

Anderson shook his head, “Its not that simple.  He’s a Spectre.  He can go anywhere and do almost anything with a legal cover.  That’s why we need the Council on our side on this one.”

“Sir, I know you and Hackett have tried to keep me out of the ‘wet work’ side of the house as much as possible, but let me be blunt.  I’ll work with you and the Council right up until we hit a wall.  Then, Council or no council, I’m going to get Saren.   This bastard attacked a colony full of innocent people and was going to turn it into a giant crater.  I’ll be taking him down with or without authorization.  I can be court martialed later if politics demand it.” Shepard crossed her arms and gave Anderson a hard look.  He took an involuntary step back, thinking, Have to be careful here, she’s still got issues with colony attacks.

“I’ll contact the Ambassador.  Get us an audience with the Council.  If we can get proof into their hands they’ll revoke his Spectre status and take him down themselves.” Anderson replied.  “While I’m on the com, talk with Joker.  Have him bring us into dock on the Citadel as soon as possible.

Shepard nodded curtly, “Yes, sir.”

\-----

Shepard stood on the flight deck, staring at the front view displays but not really seeing.  Tension was radiating from her as she worked to control her anger.  Most of the crew were giving her a wide berth at the moment, sensing that if the XO was angry - now wasn’t the time to bring matters to her attention.  Lt Moreau was threading the flight paths of the web of traffic that always surrounded the Citadel.  He found the task soothing, like a puzzle.  He looked up at the XO, and after seeing her expression decided to save the jokes for later.  Like later, when I’m wearing powered armor maybe.  She’s pissed.

Alenko and Williams had come up to look at the view as they came into dock, neither had been to the Citadel before and both were pointing out things as they saw them.  “That’s the Destiny Ascension!  Flagship of the Citadel fleet!” Alenko exclaimed.

“Look at the size of that thing!” Williams said excitedly.

Moreau felt the need to defend his ship.  “ Well, size isn’t everything.” he said.

“Why so touchy?” Williams teased.

“I’m just saying you need firepower too.” Moreau countered.

Williams pointed, “Look at that main gun.  It could rip through anything in the Alliance fleet.”

Alenko commented, “Good thing its on our side.”

Shepard had calmed a bit and stepped over during the discussion of the Ascension.  The others hadn’t noticed, they jumped when she spoke from just over their shoulders.  “I know her commander.  Matriarch Lidanya.  Lived with her family for a while.  I missed the ceremony when she took command, caught a bit of hell from her daughters for that.  I should probably make time for lunch or something while we’re here.” At the startled and surprised looks Shepard chuckled, “I wasn’t manufactured at the academy.  I do have a past people, don’t be shocked.”  With that she turned and headed to the crew deck to let Anderson know they were docking.


	15. Citadel 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Udina is a pain. The Council is a pain. Saren is evil. Etc...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Citadel, Various locations**

**Widow System 2183**

 

Shepard, Alenko and Williams stood with Captain Anderson in Ambassador Donnel Udina’s office.  Udina was slowly losing his temper with the meeting via communications hologram.  The Councilors were showing remarkably little sympathy for the human ambassador’s point that if colonies of the Council members were attacked, a fleet would have been dispatched.  The Council was rather haughtily indicating they wouldn’t have been so quick to colonize a dangerous area.

Frankly Shepard was tired of them both.  She’d talked with Wallace about the politics of the situation during her previous leave and come to the conclusion that the Council wanted to have it both ways.  They wanted humanity to colonize uncivilized and dangerous areas - pacifying them and opening trade to Council races, while humanity bore the complete burden of protecting them.  She could see Udina’s point, but more personally knew that if the Alliance wanted to, it could field the forces needed to permanently pacify the Traverse.  The sticking points were cost on the part of the Alliance, and the fact that putting that much military power on the Citadel’s doorstep would convince many that humanity was an aggressor - not a peaceful people.

The meeting was wrapping up and Udina turned to Anderson’s group with an unpleasant expression.  “Captain Anderson, I see you brought half of your crew with you.”

“Just the Eden Prime ground team.  I thought you may have wanted their direct testimony.” Anderson said neutrally.

Udina calmed a bit, “I have the mission reports, I presume they’re accurate.”  

Anderson nodded, “They are, at least it sounds like you’ve convinced the Council to give us a formal hearing.”

“They weren’t happy about it.  Saren is their top agent.  They are not pleased to hear him accused of treason.” Udina replied.

Shepard decided to interject, “Saren is a threat to every human colony, and at this point I’m not sure he’d stop with humans.  He killed Nihlus after all.  He’s putting the entire region at risk, he needs to be stopped.”

“Settle down Commander, you’ve already done more than enough to jeopardize your candidacy for the Spectres.  The Eden Prime mission was a chance to show the Council what you could do and instead Nihlus is dead and the colony all but destroyed.  Even the beacon was lost.” Udina’s tone was starting to grate on Shepard’s nerves.

“That was Saren’s doing.” Anderson replied.

“Then we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up something - or the Council may use this to kill your candidacy for the Spectres.” Udina continued, “Come with me captain, we need to go over testimony before the hearing.  I’ll get your team cleared for access and they can meet us at the hearing.”

\-----

The three soldiers were left in Udina’s office alone.  Williams looked at the door then back at Shepard, “I hate politicians.”

“No argument from me.” Shepard replied, “Let’s poke around a bit.” She continued as she sat at one of the computer console in Udina’s office.

“Uh, ma’am, isn’t that illegal?” Alenko asked.

“Probably.  Almost certainly given whose terminal this is.” Shepard shrugged, “Lets just say I’ve become somewhat less than respectful of classifications and data security laws since the N course training.  We learned to rely on generating our own intel sources.”  Udina’s security was standard Alliance software.  Shepard didn’t really need to bypass it, her logins were cleared for the data.  But I’d like to leave no record so out comes the worm… “Ah hah, got it.  Lets just download the local intel assessments…. and login record wiped.  All done.”  Lets not mention that I signed him up for Fornax ‘The finest in interspecies erotica’

“Right, I saw a mass transit station downstairs.  Coming?” Shepard headed for the door.

\-----

The citadel tower was beautifully landscaped.  Fountains and plants in special containers were placed in aesthetically pleasing locations.  “The stairs and planters look like defensive positions.” Williams said suddenly, voicing Shepard’s thoughts.  Shepard chuckled and looked back at Williams, “We’re going to need to talk soon about how you ended up a garrison troop.  You’re way too good to be wasted in a barracks.”

“Lets get up there, I can see…” Shepard paused.  There were two Turians arguing.

“Give me more time.  Saren’s hiding something I can almost prove.  Just stall them for a day.” the first, a C-Sec officer in blue armor was saying.

The second, dressed in civilian clothes, responded with a harsh chuckle, “Stall the Council?  Don’t be ridiculous - your investigation is over Garrus.”  He walked away.

The first noticed them walking up and moved to meet them.  “Commander Shepard?  I’m Garrus Vakarian.  I’m the C-Sec officer in charge of the investigation into Saren.  Or rather I was until Executor Palin killed it.” Garrus gestured at the Turian who’d just left.

“It sounds like you have issues with Saren.” Shepard replied, “I take it you found something?”

“Nothing solid, he’s a Spectre - its all classified.  But he’s up to something dark, how is it you humans say it - I feel it in my gut.”  Garrus shrugged.

“I think the Council’s ready for us commander.” Alenko interrupted.

“You don’t want to keep the Council waiting, good luck.  Maybe they’ll listen to you Shepard.” Garrus stood aside to let them pass.

\-----

Anderson met them at the last staircase.  “The hearing’s started.  Common.”

“... the evidence of a Geth attack is indeed troubling, but there is no evidence linking Saren to this.” Councilor Tevos was saying as they arrived.

Councilor Sparatus continued, “The investigation from Citadel Security turned up nothing to support your claims of treason.”

Ambassador Udina countered, “We have eyewitness testimony that Saren shot Nihlus and was giving the Geth orders.”

“We cannot give much weight to the testimony of one traumatized dock worker.” Councilor Valern stated. “It is hardly compelling.”

A communications hologram of Saren came online.  “Councilors, I resent these accusations.  Nihlus was a fellow Spectre and a friend.”

Anderson interjected, “That just let you catch him off guard.”

“Ah, Captain Anderson.  You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me.  And this must be your protege, Commander Shepard.” Saren’s tone was dismissive.  “The one who allowed the beacon to be destroyed.”

“The mission to Eden Prime was classified ‘need to know’, care to explain how you know so much about it if you weren’t involved?” Shepard asked.

“With Nihlus gone, his files passed to me.  I was not impressed with your performance.” Saren replied. “What can you expect from a human.”

Shepard grinned, “I’m remarkably unconcerned with your opinion of me.  And you can expect this human to be there when you’re brought to justice for your crimes.”

“Your species needs to learn its place, you’re not ready for the Council and you’re certainly not ready for the Spectres.” Saren growled.

Udina let more anger into his voice than a seasoned politician should have. “He has no right to say that!”

Tevos agreed, “Shepard’s admission to the Spectres is not under debate at this time.  This meeting is to look at the charges against Saren.”

Saren snorted “This meeting is a waste of the council’s time and mine.”

Shepard’s grin grew disturbingly feral.  Anderson had seen it before, Shepard was right on the edge of violence. “On that we can agree.  You won’t be able to hide behind the council forever Saren.  I will find the evidence and I will be there when you’re taken down.”

Saren pointed at Shepard, “See, this is simply blind arrogance and humanocentric hatred of other races.  There can be no evidence in this case.”

The Councilors conferred for a time and Tevos made the announcement, “We find no compelling evidence at this time to support the charges.  Your petition to remove the Spectre status from Saren is denied.”

\-----

The scene in Udina’s office was tense.  Udina had worked up to an epic rage.  “Shepard, bringing you was a mistake.  Do know anything about negotiations except how to punch something into submission?”

Shepard was deceptively calm. “I understand when the deck has been stacked.  There was going to be no complete investigation.  Too much potential embarrassment.  We need to seek evidence on our own.  I say we follow up with that C-sec investigator, Garrus.”

Alenko nodded, “Do we have any line on how to find him?”  he was obviously trying to head off a confrontation.

Udina seemed willing to back down a bit, having some kind of plan helped. “We have a man in C-Sec, Harkin.  He should know how to get in touch with him.”

“Harkin’s dirty.  And a drunk, hangs out in Chora’s Den 12 hours a day.  I wouldn't trust him to walk a dog.” Anderson shook his head. “What about Barla Von.  He’s an information broker - they say he works for the Shadow Broker - I’d expect if we need evidence, he’d be a good starting point.”

Shepard nodded, “Two for the price of one.  I’ll talk with both of them.  Let's saddle up.” and turned and left without another word to Udina and only a curt nod to Anderson.


	16. Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tracking down Garrus and information on Saren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Chora's Den, Citadel**

**Widow System, 2813**

 Chora’s Den was a noisy bar in the sketchy section of the wards.  The Citadel guide, Avina, had given a travel advisory warning for the area.  Shepard could hear the kind of pounding mass produced synthpop that made it nearly impossible to hold a conversation or concentrate.  I’m going to have a headache after this.  They walked past the doorman without stopping or talking to him.  The bar was arranged in a large circular room, and looked set up to serve cheap liquor to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.  The center was a platform on which dancers of various humanoid races gyrated.  Asari seemed to be the main attraction and were a bit distracting if Shepard were to be entirely honest.

Shepard scanned the crowd and saw a disheveled man in a C-Sec jumpsuit at a table in the corner.  She nudged Williams and pointed.  Williams nodded and moved around the opposite side of the bar to cover the path to Harkin’s rear.  Shepard nodded at Alenko and approached the drunk C-Sec officer.  Before she could speak, he waved at her and slurred as he spoke.  

“Hey there sweetheart, you looking for some fun?  ‘Cause I gotta say that soldier getup looks real fine on that bod.” Harkin leered. “Sit that sweet little ass down and have a drink with old Harkin. See how it goes.”

“I’d rather drink a cup of acid with a Krogan.  You’re a disgusting little man.” Shepard replied.

Harkin snorted, “You trying to hurt my feelings?  You gotta do better than that princess.”

“Call me princess again and we’ll discuss how much better I did when you’re picking your teeth out of your kneecaps.  There’s a C-Sec officer named Garrus.  He was looking into Saren.  I need to know where he is.  Tell me and I go away and you don’t get hurt.” Shepard’s tone was flat, unfriendly.

“Okay, okay, geeze relax.  Garrus?  You must be one of Anderson’s crew - looking to take Saren down.” Harkin replied quickly, “I know where Garrus is, but you gotta tell me something first.  Did the Captain let you in on his big secret?”

Shepard sighed. “I do not give one single solitary fuck about the Captain’s secrets.  I have one concern and you’ve used up your one chance.  Are you going to answer my question or will I need to demonstrate my unhappiness.”

“Look, I make my way with secrets, its the only thing keeping me in uniform. I gotta get a little to give a l…”  Harkin’s head met his knee with some force.  The noise was kind of like a melon hitting the floor.  Two of Harkin’s teeth snapped off at the gumline and he started to splutter incoherently.  His head met the table this time, with greater force.  He slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Williams stared down the bouncer that ran over, who backed away when he noted the heavy armor and weapons.  Alenko looked at Shepard, who was still showing tension. “Ma’am?” he asked.

“Harkin was a dead end.  He was just going to string that out, plus he was a pig.” Shepard said.  “Should have started with Barla Von.  Call C-Sec, get them to clean this up.  It seems one of theirs suffered an accident.”

As they walked back to the transit terminal Shepard wondered what set her off.  She normally could have handled a jackass like that without violence.  It wasn’t just Saren, or the urgency of finding evidence.  Something else had her on a razor’s edge.  Maybe that beacon has messed me up in some way.  “Alenko, I have a question.” Shepard stopped and leaned against one of the Citadel’s ever present railings.

“Ok Commander.  What can I do for  you.” Alenko looked confused.  Williams looked over, but stayed quiet as she leaned on the rail.

Shepard sighed, “Have I seemed unusually angry since Eden Prime?  Prone to violence et cetera?  I’ve got this sneaking suspicion that I overreacted to Harkin back there.”

“Well, now that you mention it, you’ve been a bit on edge.  I just figured it was just losing Jenkins and then the Saren situation.” Alenko shrugged, “Harkin was a slimeball though.  I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”

“Williams?  What’s your opinion.” Shepard asked without looking up from the railing.

Williams started with surprise.  Senior officers normally didn't ask her opinion on things.  “Ma’am, I don’t have a good read on what your mental state normally is.  But you just came in off of combat ops to being accused of incompetence by both the bad guys and our own side.  Then when you go to try to get what you need to stop the bad guys, you run into that dirtbag.  Seems like normal stress to me.  If you were one of my troops I’d suggest getting drunk, or to be blunt, getting laid ma’am.”

“Remind me to tell you why I avoid that last one sometime.” Shepard chuckled. “But thanks.  I was worried it was a beacon aftereffect.  Maybe it is just stress.”  She started back up the corridor.  “I want you both to keep an eye on me though until I get a chance to get back to the ship.  Try to keep me from taking things out on some poor food vendor.”

“Roger that ma’am.” Alenko replied grinning.  

Williams assumed a serious face.  “Aye aye.”

\------

Rapid transit deposited them just outside the Presidium financial district.  The curve of the Citadel’s main ring reminded Shepard of old concepts for the O’Neil habitats.  Just much, much larger than anything humanity had proposed.  Here there was more foot traffic, most of it civilian and affluent.  Their armor and weapons drew a few looks, but no one seemed concerned.

Barla Von’s office took up an entire storefront, replacing the usual clear barriers with solid walls and a single large door with his family logo.  The door slid open as Shepard and the others approached.

A volus in a plain, unadorned, envirosuit stood behind the single large desk in the room.  The rest of the room was empty of furniture, the only defining feature where the data feeds and consoles along the walls.  A number of custom data processing units stood in a corner.  The volus, Barla Von if things were any indication, tilted his head as they entered.  As his gaze took in the three humans, he clapped his hands and spoke “What’s this?  One of the Earth Clan?  A famous one if memory serves.  You are called Shepard?  It is a great honor to meet the hero of the Blitz.”

“I am, you seem to have me at a disadvantage.” Shepard replied.

“Forgive me, My name is Barla Von.  My job makes it necessary for me to keep informed.  Financial and information markets react very quickly to news, when someone of your stature arrives on the Citadel, it can affect many things for my clients.”

“I see.  I’ll come right to the point.  My sources tell me that you work for the Shadow Broker.  I’m looking for information about Saren.  Specifically I need to prove his actions to the Council.” Shepard kept her voice level and neutral.

“You are indeed direct.  You are quite right.  I am an agent for the Shadow Broker, and I do have information on Saren.” Barla Von replied with some surprise in his voice.

“I’ve heard that help from the Shadow Broker comes with strings or a price.  Can we make a deal?” Shepard asked.

“Normally this information would cost a small fortune.  There are, however, extenuating circumstances that allow me to pass it along at no cost.”

Williams frowned, “What’s the catch?”

“No catch.  The Shadow Broker is quite upset with Saren.  They used to conduct much business, right up until Saren betrayed the Broker.” Barla Von replied.

“Seems like par for the course for Saren.” Shepard observed.

Barla Von shook his head in a negative. “Saren may be many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.  Betraying the Shadow Broker is hardly something to do lightly - something huge must be at stake.  Regardless, I do not know the details - but a Krogan was hired to deal with the situation.”

“And where can I find this Krogan.” Shepard asked.

“My last information puts him at the C-Sec Academy.  You can probably still catch him there if you hurry.” Barla Von inclined his head in probable dismissal.

“Thank you for the assistance, and while I know you didn't place a price on it this time I'd like to assure you that we will not forget your help." Shepard replied respectfully and led her companions from the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I diverge a little, particularly on Harkin. I always hated that little prick. Also, for someone with Shepard's loyalty, prying into Anderson's past with Saren always seemed like a betrayal. Asking the Captain directly, sure, but not going behind his back.


	17. Investigation pt II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrex, Garrus, Tali and some bullets and such.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Various Locations, Citadel**

**Widow System, 2183**

C-Sec Academy was an antiseptic feeling blue lit island of cleanliness in the middle of the upper wards commercial melange.  Shepard took a moment to scan the crowd moving in and out of the halls.  By luck it, seemed they'd arrived just in time to catch the krogan, Barla Von had mentioned.  There was little chance it was a different one, krogan were rare on the Citadel these days, even more so in C-Sec.

"Wrex, an eyewitness reported you making threats in Chora's Den.  We can't ignore that."  An exasperated C-Sec officer was talking to the krogan. "I'm warning you to back off, and leave Fist alone, or we'll have to take you into custody."

"Heh, you and what army.  You should be warning Fist.  I will kill him." Wrex snorted and turned to walk away.  He stopped near Shepard.  "What do you want?"

"I understand you were hired by the Shadow Broker to punish Saren.  I'm in need of evidence against him.  I'm hoping we might be able to help each other." Shepard replied.

"We might be able to at that.  Saren is interested in a young Quarian who has information he wants suppressed.  Fist works for the broker but Saren bribed him to acquire her.  I was hired to punish Fist for betraying the Broker, and by extension Saren for interfering." Wrex studied her.  "You're Shepard?  I've heard of you, I'd be willing to work with you to take him down."

"What do you get out of it?" Shepard asked.

Wrex shrugged, "You help me take down Fist.  Punishing Saren suits me and the Broker fine."

"If you've been following this, what can you tell me about Garrus.  I bet you've crossed paths."

"I can tell you that Garrus is following Fist's thugs around looking for that Quarian.  Last I heard they were snooping around the med clinic."

"Any objection if we start with that?  I figure Garrus will be an asset on this." Shepard asked.

"So long as he doesn't get in the way, it works for me."

The four of them made their way to the elevator and to the upper wards floor.  The med clinic was at the far end and as they walked, the odd group drew more than a few stares.  "You get that a lot?" Shepard looked at Wrex.

"Some, aren't too many krogan left in civilized places." Wrex grunted, "Well not unless they're raiding them."

They came to the door and could hear raised voices.  It seemed that the thugs Garrus had been tailing were shaking down the med clinic.  Shepard gestured for everyone to take positions by the door and waited just a beat before hitting the cycle control.  When the door slid open Shepard was already moving in a long dive.  She tucked into a roll and came up by a low wall where a turian in blue armor she recognized had been working his way quietly around.

There were four humans in light armor with pistols and shotguns spread around the clinic.  One held a gun to a person’s head, Shepard presumed it was the woman who ran the clinic.  The doctor was pleading, “I told no one anything, please I’m telling the truth!”

“That’s good if Garrus comes around you stay smart and…” The one with the gun on her turned as he heard Shepard enter the room.  He pulled the doctor in front of him and yelled “Who are you!”

Shepard leveled her heavy pistol and spoke calmly, “Let her go.”

The thug seemed to be about to respond, but Garrus popped up around the other side of the room and put a single round through his head.  At the sound of the shot, Shepard tossed a singularity toward the other three hostiles and ran towards the doctor.  She grabbed the terrified woman by the arm and jerked her around to shield her while rolling into the cover of one of the beds.  Shepard heard more firing, but by the time she could extricate herself from the doctor, the other hostiles were down.

“Perfect timing, Shepard.  Gave me a clear shot at that bastard.” Garrus seemed pleased.  Shepard was not.

“Officer Vakarian, what were you thinking?” Shepard asked in her best drill sergeant voice, Karsten would be proud.  “Not only could you have hit the hostage, you initiated without a plan to get the civilian out of the line of fire.  Had you been unsupported the hostage, and you likely would have been severely wounded or killed.”

“I.. um, there wasn’t time to think, I just reacted.  I didn’t mean to… Doctor Michel?  Are you hurt?” Garrus was flustered.

Dr. Michel rubbed at her arm, “No, I’m fine.  Thanks to you, all of you.”

“Doctor, we can help you but you need to tell us who those men worked for and why they were here.  I heard them mention you not telling Garrus something.  That seems like a good place to start.”  Shepard kept the impatience out of her voice.  She could sense that she was close to having what she needed.

“Yes, alright.  They worked for Fist.  A few days ago a young Quarian came to the clinic looking for help.  She’d been shot.  After I patched her up, I tried to tell her to go to C-Sec, but she’d already tried them and been turned away.  She said she had information to trade for a place to hide.  She asked me about the Shadow Broker.   so I told her about Fist, he‘s an agent for the Broker.”  Dr Michel explained.

“Not any more.” Garrus spoke up, calmer now. “He’s working for Saren now and the Shadow Broker isn’t happy about it.”

“Fist betrayed the Broker?  That’s stupid even for him.  Saren must have something big going on.”

Garrus smacked a fist into his hand, “The quarian must have something on Saren for them to go after her this way, even to try to shut up Doctor Michel here.”

“Did she mention anything about Saren?  Or the Geth?  Any information in regards to evidence she may have?” Shepard asked.

Dr Michel nodded, “Yes, she did.  She mentioned it involved the Geth.”

Wrex stepped forward, “Then we better move, or that quarian’s dead.”

\-----

They rode the rapid transit car back to Chora’s Den.  When they exited the terminal they didn’t hear the telltale sound of the music and bar patrons.  Ashley looked over the area, “Seems shutdown.”

Garrus nodded, “Looks like Fist knows we’re coming.”

“Hah, like it will do him any good.” Wrex countered.

Alenko shrugged and looked at Shepard.

“Allright.  Williams, Alenko.  Cover the door, watch for runners.  Wait for a twenty count and follow us in.  Garrus hang back as we go in, pick off hostiles as we drop shields.  Wrex and I will go in large and loud, right through the biggest group of them and head for the back of the bar.”  Shepard looked at the motley team.  “Ready?  Ok.  On three…”

Shepard and Wrex headed straight for the door, it opened at their approach and they could see a number of hostile humans and turians in the bar.  The bartender popped up over the counter with a shotgun and Shepard nailed him with a shot from her Tempest while Wrex put down the closest Turian with a blast from his shotgun.  They took three steps into the room, covering it fifty/fifty.  Garrus came in the door behind them and began firing at targets farthest from the door with a large rifle of turian design.  Alenko and Williams were just outside in the corridor waiting.

Shepard noted the side to the left was a little lighter and she nudged Wrex as she moved down that side of the room.  She saw three thugs take cover and dropped a singularity behind the crates they were hoping would block things.  They were caught in the field and the crates were swept out of the way.  Shepard continued, ignoring them and letting Wrex deal with it.  Two more burst from the Tempest dropped two more thugs.  These guys are pretty cut rate.  Not much in the way of armor.

Wrex let out a battle cry and charged a human who’d popped out with a shotgun, clubbing him to the ground with his weapon.  He waved Shepard forward, there was a clear space through the hostiles to the back door.  Shepard signaled for Garrus to follow and ran for it.  Alenko and Williams would be entering soon and having Shepard and team ahead of them would distract the bad guys nicely.

They cleared the storeroom door and the sounds of combat faded as Shepard hit the door seal.  That should buy us a few minutes.  Garrus was covering the door anyway and Wrex was looking ahead, about to shoot something it seemed.  Shepard whirled around and saw it was a few teenage stockroom workers with cheap Predator knockoff pistols.  She pushed down Wrex’s shotgun.  “Look, the guards out there are just about dead.  And we’ll be through to Fist in just a minute.  You should probably find new jobs.” Shepard’s calm tone was a contrast to the bravado they tried to project.  Finally the first one nodded.  “You’re right.  We’ll just stay in the stockroom and out of the way.  Fist’s through there, watch out though he’s got an automated turret.”

“Thanks.” Shepard replied.

Wrex looked at her quizzically, “Would have been faster just to kill them.”

“I don’t kill people if I don’t have to.  I can always kill them later, but its hard to bring them back if I made a mistake.” Shepard said with a grin.  “Garrus, you ready?”

Garrus nodded. “Ready to go in.  If you can keep the guns from chewing me up, I think I can nail the control run from the door.”  he hefted his rifle.

“Sounds like we got ourselves a plan.” Shepard pointed to the door. “Fist awaits us.”

The door to Fist’s office was locked but it was in need of an upgrade as Shepard’s omni tool cracked the code without any user input.  The door slid open and she rolled into the office, knocking over a table and popping up behind it.  Wrex followed blasting more or less randomly with his shotgun, suppressing Fist or anyone else hopefully.  Shepard watched the turret.. no turrets dammit rise from pedestals in the back of the room.  She abandoned her plan of blocking the gunfire from other side of the room and brought up a barrier on herself.  She charged back towards Garrus as he rounded the corner and the guns opened up.  She could feel the impact of shots on her shields and grunted under the impacts.

Shepard stood in front of Garrus, blocking the guns, she looked up at him. “Any time now Garrus.”

Garrus didn’t reply, he laid the gun along Shepard’s left shoulder and took aim for just an instant, then fired.  The concussion knocked Shepard to the side a bit, but the guns had already fallen silent as the tungsten round hit the power and control systems.  As they fell silent, Shepard turned back to Fist.  Wrex and Garrus flanked her, firing as they came.  Fist put up his hands and yelled, “I surrender!  I’ll give you anything you want!”

Garrus and Wrex followed Shepard over to the cowering human.  Shepard dropped into a squat and put her machine pistol into Fist’s balls with rather more force than tact.  She moved to put her face at his eye level and spoke.  “I need the quarian and her evidence.  Give me that and I won’t put a shot into your balls.”

“She’s not here, I don’t know where she is - that’s the truth!” Fist winced as the barrel dug in.

“He’s of no use to you then Shepard.  Let me have him.” Wrex stepped forward with his shotgun.

Fist paled. “No no, wait.  I don’t know where she is, but I can tell you where she’ll be.”

“Keep talking.”

“She wanted to sell some information to the Broker.  Wanted a face to face meeting, said she’s only deal with the Shadow Broker himself.  I told her I’d set one up.  But instead of the Broker’s people, its Saren’s.” Fist spoke rapidly.

“Face to Face?  Even I was hired by a a cutout.” Wrex snorted.

“Yeah, but she didn’t know that.  So she’s supposed to meet them now.  The wards, back alley behind the markets.  You can make it if you hurry.” Fist replied.

“Shepard, you got what you needed?” Wrex asked.

Garrus looked worried, “What are you going…”

“We had a deal Wrex.  Fist,” Shepard replied interrupting Garrus. “I promised you I wouldn’t shoot you if you talked.”  She put her Tempest away.  “However, Wrex made no such promise.  You may be interested to know he works for the Shadow Broker.”  Shepard stood and stepped back.

“No wait, please I…” Fist stammered.  He was cut off as Wrex fired.

Garrus shook his head, “I… that wasn’t what… we have to focus.  That quarian’s dead if we don’t hurry.”

Shepard nodded, “Let’s go people.” she activated her com “Alenko, Williams, you alive?  We’re coming out and we need to hurry.  We have a line on the quarian but I doubt she has five minutes to live if we don’t hurry.”

Shepard heard firing over the com as Alenko’s voice came back, “We’re just closing up shop here Commander.  Should be clear by the time you get back.”

“Acknowledged.”  She nodded her head to the door and ran, Wrex and Garrus close behind.

They cleared the back room door and saw Alenko and Williams waiting by the entrance.  Shepard yelled as she ran.  “Back toward the ward.  Back alley to the left.  Saren’s men are going for the Quarian.  We’re right behind you - GO!”  Alenko and Williams took off as if electrocuted.

Alenko and Williams were rounding the corridor, about through the door as Shepard and the other half of the team caught up.  She could see the alley way Fist mentioned up ahead.  The five of them pounded up the stairs, slowing only to open the door as they charged toward the quarian and four other figures they could see.

A turian was asking, “Where’s the evidence, did you bring it?”

“Where’s Fist, where’s the Broker?” the quarian replied.

“They’ll be here…”

“No, they won’t.”  Shepard’s first shot took the turian in the shoulder, spinning him.  The second hit him squarely in the back of the head and he went down.  The rest of the team opened fire, avoiding the quarian as she threw an explosive from her omnitool and dodged into cover.  The three salarians went down from the explosion and Shepard’s team took them out as they tried to rise.

The quarian stepped out of cover fuming, “Fist set me up!  I knew I couldn’t trust him!”

Shepard racked her weapon and raised her empty hands, “Calm down.  My name is Commander Lilias Shepard.  I’m with the Systems Alliance and we’re here to help.  Where you hurt, are you ok?”

“I’m ok, I’ve learned to take care of myself, but thanks for your help.  Tali’Zorah nar Rayya of the Migrant Fleet.” Tali bowed slightly.

“I’d like to take more time to talk, but we’re on a mission and time is of the essence.  I am told by reliable sources that you have evidence implicating Saren in dealings with the Geth.  Is that true?” Shepard asked.

“It seems then, that I can repay you for your help, but not here.  We need somewhere safer.” Tali replied.

Williams spoke up, “Ambassador Udina, in the embassy.  He’s got every reason to want her safe.”

Shepard nodded, “Good call.  You and Alenko head back to the Normandy.  Start getting systems prepped for flight.  I think Anderson is going to want to go after Saren as soon as possible.  Wrex, if you stay with us I think we can give you some official cover for that fight just now.  We’ll need Garrus to help present the evidence to the Council.  Tali’Zorah…”

“Please, just Tali.”

“Alright then, Tali, if you’ll come with us, lets get you off the streets.”

 


	18. Convincing The Council

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a single audio file from a, sorry Tali, drifter, does more than the testimony of decorated military officers to indict Saren. A bit longer, follows through SPECTRE induction and the docks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

**Human Embassy**  
  
 **Citadel, Widow System 2183**

  
  
Udina was working up a good rant as they stood in his office. “You’re not making my life easy Shepard. Firefights in the wards, an all out assault on Chora’s Den. Do you know any way to solve a problem that doesn’t involve shooting, killing and breaking gods know how many station regulations? Is that all they teach at the Academy these days?”  
  
Shepard was tired of his presumptions. She didn’t even look at Anderson who was trying to get her attention. “As a matter of fact I do. During my final year at the academy I wrote a paper called ‘Resolving Interspecies Conflicts, a Multicultural Analysis’. It was published in Proceedings and reprinted in at least one diplomatic journal. I applied several of the techniques I described when on independent assignment as an N7 operative. I should say, Ambassador, I’ve taken a look at your record and by objective measure I am better educated than you. However, to your point regarding my methods today, sometimes you learn that the best solution to a conflict is to end it quickly and permanently, and often regrettably violently. In the long run you find you have to hurt fewer people that way.”  
  
Udina was sputtering. Tali looked away for a moment, unreadable through her suit mask. Garrus was stifling a laugh while Anderson seemed to be going through a coughing fit. Wrex chuckled disturbingly “Heh, heh, heh.”  
  
Shepard continued. “All of that aside, I believe I’ve made your day. This is Tali’Zorah nar Rayya of the Migrant Fleet. She has evidence to present regarding Saren’s link to the Geth.”  
  
Udina’s sputtering stopped and he looked at Tali. He cleared his throat. “Alright, lets see this evidence.”  
  
“Hear it actually.” Tali replied. “I’ve been traveling on my Pilgrimage, my people’s right of passage to adulthood, looking for something to bring back to benefit the Fleet. I’d heard of Geth activity outside of the Veil - for the first time since my people’s exile. I knew it was important so I tracked a Geth patrol to an isolated moon. I waited for one to become separated from its unit and disabled it. I was able to recover part of its memory core.”  
  
Anderson held up a hand, “Just a minute, I’d heard Geth units wiped their memory cores when destroyed to prevent an enemy from learning anything.”  
  
“True, but my people created the Geth.” Tali shrugged, “If you’re quick and lucky you can recover small caches of data. In this case a fragment from its audio processing bank.” She activated her omnitool.  
  
“Eden Prime was a great victory. The beacon brought us one step closer to finding the conduit.” Saren’s voice came from her tool.  
  
“That’s Saren’s voice! This proves he was involved in the attack.” Anderson exclaimed.  
  
Shepard looked thoughtful, “He said ‘one step closer to finding the conduit’ what is that I wonder.”  
  
“Maybe some kind of Prothean tech, maybe a weapon. Who knows.” Anderson replied. “It doesn’t matter though, with this we’ve got him.”  
  
“Wait,” Tali raised a hand, “There’s more to the recording. Saren wasn’t alone.”  
  
“Eden Prime was a great victory. The beacon brought us one step closer to finding the conduit.” Saren’s voice came from her tool again. This time followed by another voice. “And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.”  
  
Udina frowned. “I don’t recognize that second voice, the one talking about Reapers.”  
  
“Reapers, anything on them in the core Tali?” Shepard asked.  
  
Tali nodded, “According to the data I recovered, the Geth believe the Reapers to be a hyper advanced machine race that appeared 50,000 years ago and hunted the Protheans to extinction. Then vanished.”  
  
“Sounds a little far-fetched.” Udina said.  
  
“No, it sounds exactly plausible.” Shepard replied. “The data the beacon was trying to put into my head makes more sense now. I’m guessing it was a Prothean warning message about the Reapers, left as they were being destroyed.”  
  
Udina put his hand to his forehead, “The council is going to love this.”  
  
“We owe it to them to warn them, regardless of if they believe the information.” Shepard was firm. Even if they hang us out to dry I won’t let that hurt more innocent people.  
  
Anderson shook his head, “Either way it doesn’t matter. The audio files prove Saren’s a traitor.”  
  
“Anderson’s right.” Udina looked up at them. “We need to get these to the Council immediately.”  
  
“Tali? I know you’re on your Pilgrimage, but we need your help to present the evidence. And we’ll be fighting more Geth. We could use your expertise if you’re willing.” Shepard asked.  
  
“The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to put the greater good ahead of ourselves. What would it say about me if I turned my back on this? Saren’s a danger to the entire galaxy. My Pilgrimage can wait.”  
  
“Then I’m glad to have you aboard.” Shepard smiled.  
  
\-----  
  
“Eden Prime was a great victory. The beacon brought us one step closer to finding the conduit.”  
  
“And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.”  
  
Tali played the audio files again standing in the Council Chamber next to Shepard.  
  
Udina waved an arm. “You wanted proof? There it is.”  
  
The Councilors had been following the computer analysis of the audio while it played. The system flashed a note indicating it was unaltered and matched the voice and speaking pattern of Saren.  
  
Councilor Sparatus stood straighter and spoke, “Obviously this changes the situation. Before we could not act due to a lack of evidence. However, this is irrefutable. Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes.”  
  
“I recognize the other voice. The one speaking with Saren is Matriarch Benezia.” Councilor Tevos added.  
  
Shepard looked up at that, “Who is she?”  
  
“Matriarchs are powerful Asari who have entered…” Councilor Tevos began.  
  
“I’m aware of many parts of Asari culture, Councilor. I lived for many months with Matriarch Lidanya’s family on Nical. What I should have said was more properly, why would she be working with Saren.” Shepard interrupted, suppressing a smile.  
  
“Of course, Commander, I’d forgotten. Matriarch Benezia is a very powerful biotic. She has many followers and will make a formidable ally for Saren. As to why she has chosen this path, it is unclear. She had followed a very peaceful path previously.”  
  
Councilor Valern interrupted, “I’m concerned with the Reapers she mentions. What do you know about them.”  
  
“Based on Tali’Zorah’s data, the Geth believe them to be almost godlike synthetic beings. They believe that the Reapers were responsible for wiping out the Prothean’s 50,000 years ago. We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back.” Anderson replied. “Saren wants it, that’s why he attacked Eden Prime.”  
  
“Do we know what the Conduit is?” Councilor Valern asked.  
  
Shepard shook her head, “Saren believes it will bring back the Reapers. That’s bad enough.”  
  
Councilor Sparatus’ voice was dismissive. “Listen to what you’re saying, Saren wants to bring back the ancient race of machines that wiped out all life in the Galaxy 50,000 years ago. It’s impossible, it has to be. Where did the reapers go, why did they vanish? How is that no evidence has ever been found indicating they existed.?”  
  
“I tried to warn you about Saren, and you ignored our evidence. Now you’re ignoring it again. That’s a mistake.” Shepard was getting impatient.  
  
Councilor Tevos tried to bridge the argument. “That was different. You’ve proved Saren betrayed the Council. We all agree that he’s using the Geth to search for this Conduit - we just don’t know why for certain.”  
  
“The Reapers are most likely a myth that Saren is using to cover his true purpose and give him control of the Geth, Commander.” Councilor Valern said reasonably.  
  
Councilor Sparatus continued. “Saren is a rogue agent, he’s been stripped of his status and rights and he’s on the run now that he’s been stripped of his position. Whatever is going on, we have time to determine the facts.”  
  
“That is not good enough! You know he’s hiding in the Traverse and that he’s building an army with his Geth. Send in your fleet to secure the area and capture him!” Udina shook his fist.  
  
Councilor Valern restrained an angry reply and said with some control, “A fleet cannot capture one man.”  
  
“And a fleet presence could trigger a war in the Terminus Systems. We cannot risk this escalating into a galactic confrontation just to secure a few colonies.” Councilor Sparatus said harshly.  
  
Shepard saw an opening. “So send me. I can take Saren out of the picture.”  
  
“The Commander is right. There is a way to stop Saren that doesn’t involve fleets or armies.” Councilor Tevos looked at Sparatus.  
  
He shook his head. “No, its too soon. Humans are not ready for the responsibilities that come with being a part of the Spectres.”  
  
“You don’t have to send a fleet, avoiding a confrontation. The Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everyone comes away with something they wanted. Its how compromises are built Councilor.” Shepard replied evenly.  
  
The Councilors looked at each other, considering Shepard’s proposal. Tevos nodded first, then Valern. Sparatus saw that he’d be overruled and gave in. They each activated a control on their consoles.  
  
Tevos spoke. “Commander Shepard. Step forward please. Place your hand on the console.”  
  
Shepard looked briefly at Anderson who nodded. She moved as directed and placed her hand on the console. It activated and she could feel it scanning her hand, much like a deep medical scanner worked. Prints, DNA, and lord knows what other things its measuring.  
  
The Councilor continued. “It is the order of the Council that you be granted all of the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Recon branch of the Citadel.”  
  
Councilor Valern added, “The Spectres are not trained. They are chosen from individuals who were forged in the fires of service and battle. Whose actions have elevated them above their peers.”  
  
“Spectres are an idea. A symbol of courage, determination and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of its will.” Tevos looked at Shepard as she spoke.  
  
Councilor Sparatus spoke now, less harsh now that he was committed. “Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace as both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to guard and uphold.”  
  
“You are the first Human Spectre Commander. This is a great accomplishment and responsibility.” Councilor Tevos concluded.  
  
Shepard bowed slightly, “I am honored Councilors.”  
  
“We’re sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He’s officially a fugitive from justice, and you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him.” Councilor Valern seemed indifferent as to which Shepard chose.  
  
“I’ll find him Councilor.” Shepard replied, and added. “If I could make two requests. I’d like to borrow C-Sec Officer Garrus Vakarian for my investigation. Also, I’d ask that a download of all available intelligence information on Saren or Benezia be forwarded to me.”  
  
Councilor Tevos nodded, “Of course Commander. I don’t see any issue with both of your requests. This meeting of the Council is adjourned.”  
  
Shepard turned back in time to catch the look on Garrus’ face. Anderson was holding out a hand and Shepard took it. “Congratulations, you’ve earned it.” he said.  
  
Udina was thoughtful, “We’ve got a lot of work ahead. You’re going to need a ship, crew and supplies. Captain Anderson, come with me, we should get started right away.”  
  
Before turning to follow the ambassador, Anderson commented “You’ve got access to special equipment and requisitions now. Check in with the Spectre office in C-Sec. Shoot me a message later and we’ll meet on the docks when you’re ready to proceed.”  
  
Tali looked at the departing humans and then back at Shepard. “You’d have thought Ambassador Udina would have been more grateful. He didn’t even thank you.”  
  
“Well, until I find Saren I haven’t done anything yet. Come on, lets get to it.” Shepard started back towards the lifts. “Grab your gear and anything else you need, report to the Alliance docks, we’ll know which ship shortly. Tali, I know you’ve been kind of on the run so, “ Shepard activated a code on her omnitool and Tali’s flashed a receipt. “you can use my account to pick up any gear you’re missing. Once we launch we may not have a lot of chances to stop.”  
  
Tali’s body language spoke of shock. “Shepard, you don’t know me why would you do that?”  
  
Shepard looked back at her and grinned, “You’re joining the crew, either I can trust you or I can’t. See you on the ship.”  
  
\-----  
  
Shepard was at an unused console in the human embassy after stopping by C-Sec. The requisitions officer had been shocked, but helpful after she'd verified her credentials. Overall the SPECTRE equipment seemed about on par with her own, so she hadn't picked up anything new. She finished recording and encrypting several video calls and dispatched them over the com system back to Alliance space. Closing the commercial link system, she logged into the Alliance military server and called up the intel reports sent by the Council. They contained generic background on Saren, past assessments of Geth capabilities and three specific reports. The colony on Feros, founded by the Exogeni corporation had gone dark after an initial report of Geth attacks. Given the Prothean ruins, Saren’s involvement was likely. Sources on Noveria indicated that Matriarch Benezia was on the planet looking into an issue with Saren’s own corporate investments - this was a promising direct link. Lastly, Matriarch Benezia’s daughter, a Dr Liara T’Soni, was rumored to be in the Artemis Tau Cluster on an archeological dig. She was noted as specializing in Prothean culture. That could be either a link putting her on Saren’s side, or an in with her mother… Shepard forwarded the files to the Normandy VI and logged off. She sent a brief note via omnitool to notify Anderson and Udina that she was on her way up to the docks and followed her own order to grab her gear.  
  
\-----  
  
Anderson and Udina stood near the lift that let off onto the Alliance dock section. Anderson looked subdued, Udina looked indecently happy. I’m not going to like part of this. Shepard thought. She walked over to the two men and gave a salute before speaking. “Reporting as directed, I believe I’m ready to depart.”  
  
“Commander, I have big news.” Udina was rubbing his hands toGether. “Captain Anderson has stepped down from command of the Normandy, effective immediately. The ship is yours now.”  
  
Anderson spoke up, “She’s quick, and quiet. Plus you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well Commander.”  
  
“I’ll take good care of her sir.” Shepard paused. “If I may ask sir, why are you stepping down?”  
  
“Partly because its time. Mostly because you need your own ship. Ultimately a Spectre can’t answer to anyone but the Council. The crew can’t have a divided chain of command.” Anderson replied.  
  
Shepard shook her head, “I’ve known you tool long Captain. There’s more too this. Time to come clean.”  
  
“I was in your shoes twenty years ago, Shepard. I was considered for the Spectres.” Anderson seemed to expect a dramatic reaction. “I blew it, its not something I’m proud of.”  
  
“To be honest sir, I’m kind of glad.” Anderson looked shocked and Shepard continued. “You wouldn’t have been there for me when I was in trouble.” Shepard had decided that she would stick to what she told Harkin. That Anderson had his reasons for secrets. Besides she owed him too much to be troubled by this - she knew the man now as one of the people who’d saved her life and given her purpose. I should probably say it. “You’ve done too much for me to give one good goddamn about any mistakes in your past. Sir. If you still feel like I need to know the whole story, you can tell me when I get back over drinks to celebrate.”  
  
“We’ll plan on it then. Now, Saren’s gone. Don’t try to find him. We know he’s after the Conduit, his Geth are scouring the Traverse looking for it. Find it and you’ll find him.” Anderson was back to all business. “You’ve got all of the intel, I’m not going to tell you where to start, you don’t answer to us anymore.”  
  
“However your actions will still reflect on humanity as a whole. If you make a mess, we’ll be stuck clearing it up.” Udina looked worried.  
  
“Well then, I’ll try to keep it nice and clean for you Ambassador.” Shepard said with just a bit of an edge.  
  
“Well then, I’ll leave you with Captain Anderson for any additional questions, I have a meeting to get to.” Udina looked a bit suspicious but only shrugged and left.  
  
Shepard turned to Anderson. “How are you holding up?”  
  
He looked at the Normandy, “I only had her for a few months, still hurts though. I hadn’t pictured my career coming to an end this way. Pushing papers isn’t my thing.” he straightened. “But I believe in you, always have. You’re the one to stop Saren now and if I have to step aside to give you your shot, so be it.”  
  
Shepard hesitated for a second, then shrugged and stepped forward and caught Anderson in a hug. “Then I best get out there and take it.” She released him and stepped back.  
  
“Just don’t miss.” he replied.  
  
She nodded and walked up the passage to the hatch. It opened and she stepped through the scanner and into the ship’s interior.


	19. Taking Command

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard officially takes command of the Normandy. There's some crew conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

Shepard paused as the hatch closed and took a breath, then turned towards the flightdeck, intending on giving Moreau the destination before she made the change of command announcement.  When she reached his flight couch he looked up at her.  “I heard what happened to Captain Anderson.  Survives a hundred battles and then gets taken down by backroom politics.  Just watch your back Commander.  Things go bad on this mission and you’re next on their chopping block.”

She looked out of the front viewport. “It doesn’t feel right.  Captain Anderson’s always been the one in charge, feels like I’m stealing the ship from him.”

“No one’s blaming you Commander, the Captain got screwed but you couldn’t have stopped it.  The crew is behind you, one hundred percent, Commander.  The intercom is up.” he replied.

Shepard nodded and pushed the talk button, “This is Commander Shepard speaking.  By now you will all know that Captain Anderson has stepped down from command of the Normandy.  The Captain leaves behind a legacy of dedication and professionalism that will live on in the crew of this ship,  I could not ask for a better start to my command than to be gifted with that legacy and this crew.  

We have our orders.  We are to find Saren before he finds the Conduit.  I won’t lie to you, this mission will not be easy.  

This began with an attack on a human settlement in the Traverse, but we know Saren won’t stop there.  His geth armies aren’t going to stay on the fringes of Citadel space for long.

Humanity does not always have the best reputation in the galactic community, we have stood apart for too long.  We’re accused of being too independent, too concerned with our own interests.  Now it’s time for us to step up and do our part for the rest of the galaxy.  It is time to show the best humanity has to offer, our strength, our resolve - tempered by duty, honor and compassion.

Our enemy knows we’re coming.  As we go into the Traverse, Saren and his followers will be waiting for us.  But we’re ready for them as well.  You’re trained for this, Captain Anderson hand picked and prepared you for this.

Humanity needs to do this.  Not just for our own people, but for every other species in Citadel space.  Saren is a threat to them all, he must be stopped, and I promise you all we will stop him.

By order of Alliance Naval Command I formally assume command of the SSV Normandy SR-1.  Normandy VI, please note in the ship’s log.  All personnel, secure for departure.  Department heads, I want status reports by the end of the watch.  Shepard out.”

A cool female voice came over the intercom, the Normandy’s VI, and announced,  “Change of command logged.  The Commanding Officer is aboard.  XO Pressley stands relieved.”

“Well said Commander, the Captain would be proud.” Moreau said.

Shepard looked at him then back out the viewport. “The Captain gave up everything to give me this chance.  We can’t fail.”

Moreau sat straighter in his chair, “Yes Ma’am.”

“So,” Shepard took a seat in the gunnery and sensor station to his left. “With that out of the way, we’re going to Artemis Tau first.  Set it up, I’ll have a more detailed in-system destination after we hit the relay.”

“Aye, ma’am.”  He started punching up nav charts and looked at her when she didn’t leave. “Was there something else?”

“Actually there is.  Now that I’m in the big chair, so to speak.  I realize I’ve been running so fast I didn’t have a chance to speak with most of the crew.  Not usually how I do things.  In my last command posting I knew everyone by name down to personal beverage choices, but here I’ve been so busy I feel like I’m letting it slide.  Time to correct it.” Shepard paused, waiting to see if Moreau jumped in.

He did, loudly.  “I see where this is going. You did a background check on me, looking into why ‘that Joker guy is so strange’.  I’ll tell you the same thing I told the Captain.  You want me here as your pilot.  I’m not just good, I’m not even great.  I’m the best helmsman in the Alliance fleet!  Top of my class in flight school, I earned it.  The commendations in my file?  Earned every one of them.  None of it was given to me as charity for my disease.”

Ok, perhaps more of a response than I was hoping for.   Shepard thought a moment.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were sick.”

“Aw crap, you mean you didn’t… ok.  I have Vrolik Syndrome.  Brittle bone disease.   Most of my bones are ok, if a little weaker than usual, but my legs didn’t develop properly.   They’re basically hollow, too much force and they’ll shatter.  Its a pain to get around, even with braces and crutches, but put me in a ship like the Normandy and I’ll make her dance for you.  Just don’t ask me to unless you like the sound of snapping shin bones.” He replied, a bit embarrassed.

“I don’t doubt that you’re the proper person to sit in that chair, Captain Anderson put you in it after all.” She said gently.   “No, I actually had been fishing for things not in your jacket.  Like ‘Joker’?”

“I didn’t pick it, they hung it on me in flight school.  It just stuck, ok?  Plus I love to make little children laugh.”

“C’mon there’s more to it than that.  You’re always so serious, at least when I’m around.”

“Look, I busted my ass in flight school.   I didn’t have time to be friendly or social and they don’t hand you anything for grinning like an idiot.   So one of the instructors started to bug me about never smiling, started calling me Joker.”

“You wanted to fly because on a flight couch, your legs didn’t matter.” Shepard made it a statement, not a question.

Joker sighed, “Yeah I guess, if you’re going to be all analytical.  So anyway, in the end, the sickly kid with the leg braces was top of the class, better than the instructors and everyone knew it.  So one guess who was smiling on graduation day.”

Shepard stood, “I didn’t mean to dredge up anything, just trying to learn a bit about the crew.”

Joker snorted. “And what did you learn about me?”

“You’re a bit arrogant, you deflect emotion and personal matters.  That’s in your jacket.  What I learned was a bit about why and that what a headshrinker sees as arrogance, I see is probably well earned confidence.  Frankly you remind me of some of the ICT flightschool people I worked with.  So I think, if I need you and the ship to do something,  if it can be done you'll get it done.” Shepard replied seriously.  “Call me when we hit Artemis Tau.  I’ll be down on the lower deck.”

\-----

Joker sat straighter in the flight couch as the Commander walked away.  Ok, so now maybe I know why Anderson picked her.

\------

Shepard took a roundabout way towards the lower decks, stopping to speak with most of the crew.  Just a few words here and there, trying to get a feel for the people she’d become responsible for.  One of the sensor ratings was getting married in two months, and was planning a honeymoon on Earth.  Shepard recommended the beach she’d visited in Vietnam.  Up on the command deck, the point defense crew chief was about to become a father.  His wife was about six months along and he insisted on showing the genetic projection pictures to Shepard.  She made a note to send something.  Maybe a Normandy crew onesie?   

For three hours, while the ship discharged the drive core, it was much the same as she moved through the ship.  Everyone had something unique, but also familiar.  All of them were part of the Alliance ‘family’.  Apart from a few crew who were sleeping, whom she made note to visit with later, she managed to at least exchange a few words with most of the ships 54 crew members.  She hoped that they were starting to see her as something not quite larger than life.  

She knew her history, the Star, the N7 rating, and now the Spectre status - all of these set her apart.  Sometimes that was helpful, even necessary in a command role.  The crew needed to obey directives without second guessing the officer giving the orders.  However,  Shepard differed from the officers who prefered to remain distant and aloof all of the time.  She felt it was important that the crew knew she was one of them, just another Alliance officer.  If you put an officer on too high of a pedestal or if the officer managed to alienate too much of the crew, problems could fester that they either assumed you already knew about or were too afraid to bring to you.  Normally the XO served as that intermediary on a crew, but Shepard had been the XO until recently and this was a new crew.  Pressley was still feeling his way into the role.

Shepard made her way into the elevator, she wanted to chat with the three non-Alliance crew on the lower deck before they hit Artemis Tau.  Wrex was a veteran, she had no doubt about his skill in combat, but she needed to be sure he wouldn't try to undercut her authority in combat.  He needed to follow direction or he’d get someone killed.  Garrus should slot into the command structure well, but she could sense there was a pragmatic streak that needed to be tempered.  Tali, she was a bit of an unknown.  She’d been pretty insistent that she knew how to take care of herself, but she’d jumped at the chance to come along.  Right, start with her then.  Shepard nodded to herself and turned down the corridor to main engineering.

\------

Shepard stepped through the hatch and nodded to Engineer Adams.  Adams was one of the crew she knew relatively well, she’d spent hours working with him to bring herself up to speed on shipboard operations.  As she surveyed the engine room, she noted that Tali had taken over a console on the far side of the room, staying mostly out of the way it seemed.  She walked over to Adams and nodded in Tali’s direction.  “How’s our newest addition fitting in?”

Adams glanced at Tali then replied, “She’s spent pretty much all of her time down here in engineering asking questions about the drive and maintenance procedures.”

Shepard frowned, “Is she getting in the way? Should I talk to her?”

“What?  No!  She’s amazing.  I wish my guys were half as smart, and even a quarter as interested in maintenance.  Most of them don’t get how important the day to day is.  Give her a month aboard and she could do my job, she’s got a real knack for technology.  I can see why you brought her along.”

“I’d like to claim I had a special insight, but mostly I brought her along because of her expertise with the Geth.  I won’t say no to serendipity though.” Shepard grinned.  “I’d best go speak with her.  Carry on.”

“Aye ma’am.”

Shepard walked over to Tali who seemed to be studying core diagnostics.  “Tali, do you have a minute to talk?”

“Shepard!  Yes.  This ship is amazing!  I’ve never seen anything like her.  I can’t believe  you could fit a drive core this size in a ship this small!  I’m starting to understand why you humans have been so successful.  I had no idea your ships were so advanced.” Tali seemed almost giddy.

“Well, not all of them are.  The Normandy is a prototype, cutting edge technology from human and turian engineers.” Shepard gestured at the core. “If her design proves successful, follow on ships will probably be a bit different.  We’ve already learned a few lessons from putting an outsized drive on her.  Makes life rough on the pilot in some flight regimes.”

Tali’s voice was wry.  “A month ago I was splicing an improvised patch into a fuel line on a converted tug ship in the flotilla.  Now I’m standing in the heart of one of the most advanced ships in Citadel space.  Thank you for bringing me along.  Traveling on a ship like this is a dream come true for me.”

“So you’re a fan of ships and technology then?” Shepard asked.

“It comes with being a Quarian.  The Migrant Fleet is the key to the survival of my people, and ships are our most valuable resource. We don’t have anything like this.  We make do with cast offs and second hand equipment, we just keep them running for as long as we can.  Some of the largest ships date back to our original war with the Geth.” Tali explained.

“You have ships that are 300 years old still in service?”

“Well, its hard to call them the same ships now.  They’re constantly being repaired, modified, and upgraded.  I doubt many of the original parts are still in use.  They aren’t pretty, but they work, mostly.”  Tali shrugged.

“Well, I’m glad to have you aboard then.  We’re going to be operating independently much of the time, good to know we have someone used to working with thin supply lines.” Shepard looked at her omni tool.  Nearly time to hit the relay, and I still need to get to Garrus.  “Tali, I have to run before we hit the relay, but I’d like to talk more later.  Get some background on the Geth and the Fleet if you have time.”

“Sure Shepard, just let me know.”

Shepard gave her a wave as she headed off to the hatch at a brisk pace, only to be interrupted by an announcement.

“All stations, secure for transit, Artemis Tau relay in ten seconds.” Joker’s voice came over the com system.

Shepard picked up her pace, and headed for the armor locker.  Guess I’ll chat with Garrus and Wrex later.


	20. Therum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Therum, where we finally get to Liara. And I gloss over the combat because I pretty much just used the MAKO like a battering ram the whole way through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As most people say, I don't own the characters of Mass Effect. I just had an idea stuck in my head I needed to get out. Feedback is appreciated.

Garrus, Wrex and Shepard sat in the MAKO with the engine idling as the Normandy made its approach to Therum.  This was the third planet they'd checked and Shepard was hoping they'd be done soon.  Wrex had proved to be familiar with the MAKO's operation and Garrus was a quick study.  She hadn't had much time to speak with the two of them, but she'd wanted  to bring them along to get a feel for how they'd work out.  Joker's voice came over the com unit. "Commander, the crosswind over the target zone exceeds drop parameters for the MAKO.  I'm going to have to drop you a couple of clicks back.  Watch out for the lava flows, the MAKO is breakable - for a tank."

"Are you accusing your commanding officer of being less than careful with Alliance equipment?" Shepard replied.

Joker's voice was surprised. Most people didn't reply to his quips. "Ah, no ma'am.  Just notifying the Commander of the environmental conditions."

Shepard grinned, you could hear it in her voice.  "Environmental update acknowledged, flight lieutenant.  Please update the onboard nav package with the changed drop zone and remain on low orbit standby.  In case I break another MAKO."

"Aye aye ma'am."

"Wrex, once we hit dirt get the gear set for a quick exit.  Garrus, if you pick up a hostile, you are authorized to engage preemptively.  I'll get us oriented on the dig site signal and moving.  I'm not planning on stopping, so Garrus, I'm going to rely on you to plow the road if we hit resistance.  This is going to be a speed run." Shepard's voice was more serious now, she had her mission face on.  Wrex grunted and a terse "Understood." came from Garrus.

Joker brought them in low with his usual skill and the MAKO's thrusters were able to absorb nearly all of the drop.  They hit dirt with barely a bounce and she made a mental note to put in a note for Moreau.  He was handling these planetary insertions better than any pilot she'd worked with previously.  She locked the left wheels briefly and hit the power once they were roughly on course for the signal.  Joker was right about the lava flows, this place is extremely unpleasant.

The ground was bumpy, and Shepard was absorbed in driving when Garrus fired the main gun. "Geth up ahead, Looks big, that shot just took down its shields." he opened fire with the coaxial gun and the first of the Geth units disintegrated.  Shepard hit the MAKO's thrusters as the other quadrupedal Geth opened fire and drove straight for it as Garrus fired again.  The Geth's second shot glanced off the MAKO's shields and suddenly they were past.  Garrus spun the turret around and finished off the unit behind them.

"Crap, dropship." Shepard said in a conversational tone. "Garrus, concentrate on anything with heavy weapons, I'm going to see if we can't just blow past this."  She pushed the MAKO's engine to 105% and aimed for a knot of Geth troopers, knocking them aside like bowling pins, as Garrus laid down fire on the larger units and rocket armed troops.

They made it past two more blockades, and what looked like an abandoned mining facility complete with newly installed rocket turrets, that way.  She’d had to stop twice to let the self-repair systems fix the wheels.  The only time she’d had to get out was to open a gate.  Eventually they came to a blockage on the path that they'd have to cross on foot.  "Bailout here folks.  Wrex, take point.  Garrus on overwatch, keep an eye out for snipers." She keyed the com unit. "Joker, bring the MAKO up on remote and take up station in atmosphere.  I have a feeling we're going to need a fast getaway."

"Roger that.  So the locals didn't go for your wit and charm?" Joker said.

"We can't all be you Joker.  Out here." Shepard replied.

They moved from cover to cover, working their way up the canyon wall to a plateau.  Her snap assignment of roles had worked well, Wrex was taking out close in targets while Garrus picked off targets at range.  Normally Shepard would take the long range targets, but she was watching how Garrus worked with Wrex.  There'd been some tension after the incident with Fist and she wanted to know if it would color how they worked in the field.  So far it hadn't, Wrex had done the Krogan battlemaster 'thing'.  Charge into fights, yell taunts and insults.  Garrus had taken it in stride and learned to identify targets by the Krogan's shouts.  Shepard had contented herself with covering both of them, dropping targets that seemed to be lining up a shot.

They rounded a stack of crates and Shepard signaled a stop.  Garrus recognized it, but Wrex either didn't see or possibly didn't recognize it.  He was crossing into view of the structures ahead and Shepard saw the glint of a laser targeting beam in the dust.  Garrus was out of the line of fire, he wouldn't be able to help.  Shepard threw a warp up the line of the beam and charged to Wrex, hitting him in the back and the shot passed through the space they'd occupied.

Wrex recognized why Shepard had hit him almost immediately and was up and charging to the structure before Shepard had recovered her feet.  "Garrus, stay here.  Keep an eye on those snipers.  Wrex, dammit, wait for me!"  Shepard ran after the raging Krogan.  Both of them skidded to a halt as the Colossus dropped in front of them.  The both changed course to the various stacked crates and Shepard keyed her com. "Garrus, change of plans.  Peg that thing a few times, see if you can't drop its shields.  Wrex, cover my back.  When the shields go down, I'll see if I can't do some damage.  Joker, you read?"

"Commander, I read you.  Want me to drop a Javelin on it?" Joker replied.

Shepard shook her head even though no one else could see it. "Negative.  The surrounding area is unstable and we're too close anyway.  I need you to patch Tali into my suit camera and coms."

Joker's voice was serious, focused. "On it Commander, patching her in now."

"Tali?  Can you hear me?" Shepard asked as she took a few shots at the shields of the giant Geth.

Tali sounded surprised. "Shepard, what are you doing fighting a Colossus on foot?  You usually need heavy weapons for those."

"So I've gathered." Shepard said with a hint of humor. "I've got one Turian sniper, one angry Krogan with a shotgun and me.  How do I kill this thing."

"Normally I don't think you could.  The only thing I can think of is if you can trigger its security protocols to wipe its memory core.  If you can crack the ventral casing and disconnect the primary memory core, it will wipe itself and shutdown." Tali was speaking quickly. "I'm sending a rough schematic to you now."

Shepard looked at the diagram on her omnitool. Ventral, that means... "Tali, you want me to climb on its back?"

"That's where the core is, yes.  Be careful Shepard." Tali sounded more confident than Shepard thought she should.  Then again Tali wasn't being expected to climb on a hostile giant robot and disconnect part of its brain.

"Right.  Ok.  Garrus, keep working on its shields, but for my sake please aim lower.  Wrex, I'm gonna need a boost.  Think you can toss my scrawny butt up there?" Shepard looked around, but the Colossus was the last Geth unit left.

"Sure Shepard.  Next time its my turn to ride the Geth though." Wrex chuckled, it was not comforting. "Ready?"

"As soon as its shields go, boost me." She racked her other weapons and readied her Tempest.  With more hope than anything else she engaged the mag clamps in her boots.  She hoped it might lock her to the Geth, but with her luck it was more polymer than anything else.

The shield fell and she took two quick strides and lept from the crates.  She felt a powerful biotic field hit her in the back and she sailed upwards, toward the back of the Geth unit.  Wrex and Garrus kept up a steady stream of fire, distracting the Geth.

Shepard landed, skidded, the boots weren't finding much purchase on the synthetic's back.  She drew her knife from her boot and slammed it into the Geth's back like a piton.   She compared the diagram on her head's up display and noted that she was only a meter or so from Tali's estimate.  Using the knife, she pulled her way across the bucking synthetic to the spot indicated.  Angling the Tempest and hoping ricochets went away from her, she started firing.  The Tempest signaled a failure and began venting steam.  She discarded it and began sawing away with the knife through the hole.

The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was a flash of sparks from the hole she'd cut.

\-----

“Shepard, can  you hear me?”

She heard the gruff voice as a taloned hand tapped the visor of her helmet.  She opened her eyes to see Wrex leaning over her. “Did it work?” she asked and started to rise.  The same taloned hand helped her to her feet.

“See for yourself.  One fried Geth Colossus.” Wrex pointed to the mass of polymer and metal that had been shooting at them.

Shepard keyed her com. “Tali?  That worked, just thought you should know, but before you put it in the ‘how to kill Geth guidebook’, next time I think I’m going to go with the air strike or heavy weapons.”

“Um, right Shepard.  I’ll make some notes...” Tali didn’t sound sure if she should take Shepard seriously.

“Tali, I was kidding, thanks for the help.  You did good.” Shepard interrupted.

The relief was palpable in her voice, “Thanks Shepard.”

Shepard turned to Garrus and Wrex, “Ok, lets go find us an archeologist.” and set off up the ramp to the shaft drilled into the surface.

At the top of the shaft, the hatch was sealed, but not locked and they cycled through with no trouble.  They made their way down the tube to the elevator.  As they descended she signaled for Wrex to cover the rear and for Garrus to take her flank as she took point.  The elevator was clear, and as they descended past what were probably Prothean structures.  They looked a bit like the lines of the beacon from Eden Prime.  The elevator reached a blockage in the shaft and before she could decide on where to go next, the telltale stuttering electronic noise of Geth troopers came from below them.

Shepard pointed at the rubble below them and as she moved to seek targets, a voice came from the ruins behind her.  “Uh, hello?  Could someone help me? Please?”  It sounded female and non-threatening.  

“Hang tight.  Minor Geth problem, I’ll be with you in a moment.” Shepard yelled.  Then tossed a singularity at the Geth who popped up to fire at her.

Garrus was moving like a hunting cat, popping out of cover and dropping Geth as if he were on a shooting range and not a battlefield.  She could hear Wrex taking his close range combat style to the next level by actually going hand to hand with the synthetics.  With an apparent civilian in the line of fire, Shepard hung back by the elevator and concentrated on support.  She dropped biotic fields where it seemed Geth were hiding and laid suppressing fire on the few rocket armed Geth in the dig site.  As fire died down, the typical Geth jamming field dropped and she could see no more targets. “Garrus, Wrex check the site for any surprises and meet me back here.  I think I’ve found the objective.”

She turned and stopped dead, mouth slightly open.  Behind a shimmering blue curtain of energy was a young Asari.  She was being held, arms outstretched, in a sphere of the same kind of energy.  That wasn’t what made Shepard pause, though it was funny in hindsight.  What made her pause was the first thought that crossed her mind when she looked at her.  Good God she’s pretty.  Shepard blinked and tried to focus, now wasn’t the time for that.  She had some experience with Asari and this one looked tired, stressed and in need of a bath.  And she still looks like a vid star made up to look like a damsel in distress, not that you should be spending your time...  Dammit, concentrate, what is wrong with you.  Shepard still hadn’t said anything and the Asari looked at her and narrowed her eyes.

“Can you hear me out there?  I’m trapped, I need help!” she said with an edge of annoyance.

Shepard shook her head, “Sorry, I’m Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy.  I presume you’re Dr. Liara T’soni.  We were sent to retrieve you.” Best not explain why yet.

Liara sagged in the field’s hold. “Thank the goddess, I did not think anyone would come to look for me.”  She looked over to a console in the room she was trapped in. “This sphere is a Prothean security device, I cannot move so I need you to activate this panel to get me out of it.  All right?”

“Ok,” Shepard looked around the area, noting the multilevel nature of the ruin. “So, how’d you end up in this predicament?” Maybe if I can get into the room below…

“I was exploring the ruins when the Geth showed up, so I hid in here.  Can you believe that?  Geth! Beyond the Veil!” her voice was excited and scared.  “I activated the tower’s defenses, I knew the barrier curtains would keep them out.  I must have hit a security protocol I wasn’t aware of and now I’m trapped.  You must get me out.  Please!”

Shepard looked back up from her survey of the surroundings, “Stay calm, I’m not going to leave you here.  We’ll find some way to get you out.”

“Be careful, there is a Krogan with the Geth.  They have been trying to find a way past the barrier.” Liara seemed to respond to Shepard’s tone.

“Sit tight, and don’t worry.” Shepard grinned and gestured at Wrex. “I brought a Krogan too.”  She turned and looked around the dig site. Ah, mining laser.  When in doubt, bigger guns.

She made her way down a broken walkway.  “Garrus, come with me.  Wrex, keep an eye on the doctor for me.”  When she reached the large mining unit, she directed Garrus to the controls at the rear. “I’m going to adjust the targeting and intensity.  When I signal, hit the power.  Five second burst only, ok?”

“Right.  Extremely large lasers are right in my comfort zone, Shepard.” Garrus said.

Shepard grinned and turned to the targeting system.  It was locked, but like most systems on the rim it was in need of a patch and she cracked the locking code in short order.  She adjusted the angle and set what she thought was the depth and beam intensity.  “Ok Garrus, fire.”

“Firing.” Garrus acknowledged and hit the switch.  The beam sliced into the floor, sending up a cloud of vaporized rock dust and obscuring the area.  At the Shepard’s count of five, he cut the power and the two of them waited for the dust cloud to clear.

Shepard gestured for Garrus to follow and they picked their way down the new tunnel to the room below the trapped Dr T’soni.  A control panel, similar in form to the types she’d seen on the Citadel, marked an elevator platform and they were shortly back up to the room, this side of the room was open however.  Damn, the backside of her...  What’s gotten into you, you’ve seen lots of pretty people over the past  few years but you haven’t lost track of your thoughts this way.  Shepard sighed as she walked toward Dr T’soni, who turned her head at the sound.

“How, how did you get in here? I didn’t think there was any way past the barrier.” Liara asked, a note of fear in her tone.  

Shepard pointed to the chamber they’d come from.  “Very large laser, plus elevator.  I suspect a route around like this is what that Krogan you mentioned is looking for.  Lets get you out of there and we can talk about the rest once you're safe.”

Liara nodded. “Right, that makes sense.  That button over there should  shut down this containment field.”

The panel was standard and the optical control was easy to understand, so Shepard could be excused for not considering the height difference when she cut the field.  Liara hit the ground with a “Umph” as the wind was knocked out of her.  Shepard cursed under her breath and jogged over.  She got an arm around the doctor and helped her to her feet, steadying her.  “Are you ok?  I should have thought about what would happen if I just turned it off.”

“Um, yes.  I am fine.  Thank you for freeing me.” Liara replied.  Shepard nodded and released her, watching to be sure she was going to keep her feet.

“Great, we have the doctor.  Any idea how we get out of here now?” Wrex said, coming up the tunnel behind them.

Liara pointed to the central shaft. “There is an elevator in the center of the tower that should take us to the surface.  At least I think it is an elevator, come on, this way.” She walked in the direction she had pointed.

As they walked, Liara twisted her hands together and spoke with some measure of disbelief. “I still cannot believe this is happening, why would the Geth come after me?  Is it because of my mother, Benezia?”

“Your mother and Saren are working with the Geth to find the Conduit.  You’re a Prothean expert, it could simply be that they want to use you to find it.” Garrus said as they walked.

“The Conduit?  I do not know what…” Liara’s response was interrupted by a low vibration in the tower and the sound of large objects falling.

“What the hell was that?” Wrex asked.

“These ruins are not stable, that mining laser…” Liara started to say, while simultaneously Shepard said, “The mining laser, the whole area is geologically…

They stopped and looked at each other.  Shepard shook her head and smiled.  “Great minds and all that.  We need to get out of here before the whole structure comes down.” She keyed her com unit. “Joker, I need a pickup at the top of the ruins, ASAP.  I may have accidentally set off a volcano.”

“Why can’t you have normal problems, ma’am.  Secure and away.  ETA 5 minutes, seems like staying on station was a good call.” Joker replied over the radio.

“If I die in here, I’ll kill him.” Wrex growled.

Liara hit the control on the elevator panel. She looked confused and frightened. Shepard stepped over to stand beside her “You’re going to be fine Doctor.  Stay focused on getting to the surface.” Shepard put a hand on her shoulder.  “Ok?” And you stay focused on the mission, not the person.  Yeah, like I’m good at that.

“Right.” Liara nodded. “Thanks.”

The elevator platform reached the top of the shaft and stopped.  They turned toward the platform entrance and Shepard stopped, pulling the doctor behind her with a sudden movement.  A Krogan and several Geth troops were walking towards the platform.  “Stay behind me Doctor T’soni.” she said in a tone that made Liara swallow the protest at the sudden pull on her shoulder.

The Krogan stopped and growled. “Surrender, or don’t.  That might be more fun.”

Negotiate?  The structure is coming down, might be able to get them to leave.  We might lose the doc in a firefight. “Look, the whole structure is coming down.  We don’t have time for this, we could all be killed.” Shepard said.

“Invigorating, isn’t it?” the Krogan replied.  “Give us the Asari and we can all get out of here.”

Shepard subvocalized to her VI, designating targets and hoping Wrex and Garrus saw the pop up.  She looked at the Krogan.  “Sorry, finders keepers.” and tossed a shockwave.  The Krogan dodged it, but two of the Geth were knocked down and she heard firing as Garrus and Wrex opened up.  She stayed between the Krogan and Doctor T’soni, who had brought up a barrier on herself.  Ah, she’s not totally helpless then.  “Doctor, concentrate on your barrier, leave them to us.”

With some confidence that Doctor T’soni wouldn’t be killed by a stray shot, Shepard moved to fire on the Geth.  The Carnifex was working well to take down the shields and Garrus was cleaning up with single aimed shots.  She dropped a singularity behind them as the remaining Geth tried to flank her.  Wrex had engaged the Krogan in a close range shotgun duel, which was disturbing, but he seemed to be winning so Shepard focused on the remaining Geth.

She could hear Wrex’s roar of triumph and turned to see him stomp on the head of his fallen opponent.  She’d stopped the last of the Geth on the right side and Garrus called out, “All clear.  Lets go!”

Shepard grabbed the doctor by her arm and pulled her toward the entrance, “Move, everyone run!”  Rocks and debris from the platforms and tower were falling as they ran, Shepard brought up the rear and narrowly dodged a falling girder.  “Move, move, MOVE!” she yelled, pushing Doctor T’soni up the tunnel.

They emerged into the reddish light on the surface to find the Normandy hovering, ramp down, just off of the catwalk.  The doctor and Garrus had paused to catch their breath and Shepard ran right toward them, not stopping.  She caught Doctor T’soni around the waist and jumped to the ramp.  She was followed by Wrex and Garrus once he noticed the sulphurous eruption behind them.  Shepard triggered the ramp controls from her omni-tool and called over the com. “We’re on Joker, lets get the hell out of here.”

Joker replied. “Getting the hell out of here, aye ma’am.”

\-----

The deck tilted under Shepard before the compensators caught up and damped the motion.  She unconsciously reached out to steady the young Asari she still stood near.  Garrus watched from the lockers where he was returning equipment to its rack and hid the Turian equivalent of a grin.  Ashley Williams stood by the weapons workbench and her eyes widened as she took in Shepard’s body language.  Shepard didn’t notice either look, as she keyed her omnitool again.  “Ground team to the communications room for mission debrief.  We’ll start in ten minutes.  Shepard out.”  She tapped a quick note to the non-Alliance members on her omnitool, “Ground Team means you too.”

Guiding Doctor T’soni with her hand still on her arm, she led the way to the elevator.  “This way Doctor, we need to go over why we came to get you and some events you may not be aware of.”  Shepard realized she hadn’t let go when they reached the elevator and a bit hastily pulled her hand back.  Ashley  watched them with a slightly suspicious air.


	21. Therum Debrief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley is suspicious, Garrus is amused. Wrex is... well Wrex. And Liara gets her first exposure to Shepard's command style.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blah blah, don't own anything, etc..
> 
> Posting from my tablet for the first time, apologies for any formatting wierdness.

**Normandy SR-1**

**High orbit over Therum**

 

Ashley Williams had a built in distrust of non-Alliance personnel, it wasn’t xenophobia exactly.  She’d spoken to a counselor about it before, because if she was anything it was honest with herself.  It was more of an institutional sort of paranoia, she only really trusted her family.  It just happened to be that she considered the Alliance Navy to be part of that family.  So it was with a certain amount of surprise that she found herself talking with Garrus, a Turian C-Sec officer, about the Commander.  But, he was down there and he saw it too.  If something is up with the Commander, we need to know.  

“So, Garrus, is there a history with the Commander and that Asari?  Seems like she knew her from somewhere.”

  
“It did, didn’t it.  First time they’ve met though.” Garrus said, then shrugged. “Easy explanation for that though I doubt the Commander would admit it.”

  
“What’s that?” Ashley asked.

  
“You don’t see it?  I guess its just the time I spent working the wards people watching.  The Commander’s feeling protective and possessive of the good Doctor because she’s attracted to her.” Garrus replied.

  
“What?  No way.  The Commander’s not…” Ashley trailed off, considering.  She was going to say that Shepard wasn’t into aliens or girls for that matter, but she didn’t really know that much about the Shepard’s background.  And, she remembered, Shepard had lived with Asari before.

  
“You should have seen Shepard’s face when she saw Doctor T’soni for the first time.  She looked like someone hit with a stun beam.” Garrus chuckled.  “Didn’t really affect the mission though.  We secured the objective and got out.  Joker’s one hell of a pilot.  Come on, we’re going to be late to the meeting if we don’t move.”

Ashley shook her head and suppressed a smile of her own.  She’d have to pry, respectfully and gently of course, the next time she talked with the Commander.

  
\-----

  
Joker’s voice came from the overhead speakers in the communications room.  “Too close, Commander. Ten more seconds and we would have been swimming in molten sulphur. The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference.”

Shepard bent her head a little to hide her grin.  Joker was rapidly becoming one of her favorite crew members.  His sense of humor reminded her strongly of her old team from ICT.  She looked up when Doctor T’soni spoke, her tone astringent.

“We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?” Liara said.

“Its a coping mechanism, many of us deal with stress and social situations with humor.  You get used to it.” Shepard replied before anyone else could.

Liara nodded, “I see, it must be a human thing.  I do not have much experience with your species, Commander.”

“Its more common that you might think.” Shepard smiled. “I think its more of a trait common to soldiers than just humans.  If you have any issues with the crew or questions about things, you can come talk to me about them.  I’ve spent quite a bit of time with your people, I’ll be happy to be your ‘native guide’ so to speak.”

“Thank you Commander, I am grateful.” Liara said, and paused looking down before continuing. “For more than just the information.  You saved my life back there.  Not just from the mine and volcano.  Those Geth would have killed me, or dragged me off to Saren. “

Alenko leaned forward in his chair.  “What did Saren want from you?  Do you have information about the Conduit?”

Shepard looked at him sharply but didn’t say anything yet.  She didn’t want this to become an interrogation, but the question was on point.  Alenko glanced at her, nodded and looked back to Doctor T’soni with a gentler expression.  The exchange went unnoticed to Liara, who was answering.

“I’ve come across the term in my research.  I’ve spent the last fifty of your years investigating the Prothean extinction.  The Conduit is mentioned several times in relation to it.” Liara answered.

Shepard looked at the doctor, considering that, Doctor T’soni didn’t seem much older than Lidanya’s daughters when she’d lived with them.  “Fifty years?  Exactly how old are you Doctor?”

“I hate to admit it, but I am only a hundred and six.” Liara responded quietly.  Shepard inhaled, Culturally she’s barely an adult at all.

“Damn! I hope I look that good when I’m your age.” Ashley exclaimed.

Shepard chuckled. “I see you haven’t spent much time around Asari, Chief.  You already were her age, about when you were 19, comparatively.”  she looked at Doctor T’soni. “Doctor, I have a new respect for your intelligence and drive, to have completed a doctoral program at your age is rare.”

Liara looked up with some surprise and, Shepard thought, a quite fetching blush of purple. “I wish more of my colleagues agreed with you Commander.  Because of my youth, I believe, it is why my research and theories on the Prothean extinction have not received the attention they deserve.”

“I have a fairly good idea of what happened to the Protheans, Doctor.” Shepard said.

“With all due respect, I have heard every theory in pursuit of my own research.  The problem is in finding any evidence to support them.  There is remarkably little left behind, considering we base so much of our technology on Prothean roots.”  Liara’s tone was that of someone who had been through this discussion many times before. “It is almost as if someone removed the evidence, cleansed the galaxy of clues after the Protheans were gone.”

“Doctor…” Shepard started to speak.

“Here is the incredible part.” Liara continued speaking, not hearing Shepard. “According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galaxy spanning civilization to vanish.  This is a cycle that began long before the Prothean rise.”

Shepard raised a hand, “Doctor, I…”

“The galaxy seems built on a cycle of extinction.  Each time a civilization rises, it is suddenly, violently, cast down, leaving only ruins and scraps of information.” Liara was using hand gestures and looking around the room as she spoke with more intensity. “The Protheans rose from a single world to span the galaxy with their empire, but they climbed to that height on the remains of those who had come before them.”

“Doctor T’soni…” Shepard tried again.  Other people in the room were grinning at Shepard’s inability to get a word in.

“Their greatest achievements, the relays and the Citadel, they are based on the technology of previous empires.”  Liara rose from her chair and started pacing. “And like all of the other forgotten civilizations in galactic history, they disappeared.  I have dedicated my career, my life to finding out why.”

Shepard shook her head and with an exasperated sigh, stepped in front of the doctor. Guess I have to get her attention. She put her hands on the doctor’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Liara,” The doctor stopped and closed her mouth. “If you'll slow down a moment, I think I can tell you what happened.  They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines called the Reapers.”  Shepard stepped back.

"What?  Reapers?  None of my research has turned up... Where did you get your information?" Liara  asked in confusion.

"On our mission to Eden Prime.  We were tasked with recovering a Prothean beacon, unfortunately Saren wanted it as well.  Due to his actions , it was active and showed me a sort of vision." Shepard shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose in remembered pain. "Apart from a truly stupendous headache, it left me with fragmented images of death and destruction.  Organics being killed by vast armies of machines."  She pointed at Tali and smiled. "Tali here provided a part of the puzzle for us when she managed to recover some data about them from a Geth unit."

Shepard looked at Liara and put a hand on her shoulder. "And this is the difficult part, it's also where we got the information that your mother, Benezia, was involved with Saren's schemes.  Cooperating willingly it seems, not coerced.  I'm sorry."

"I appreciate your concern, but I had already come to the conclusion that my mother was involved.  She and I have grown apart in recent years, I had thought due to my profession.  Now I sense it may have been something else." Liara replied, stepping back and crossing her arms.  "I'm more concerned about you, Commander.  Prothean beacons were designed to interact with Prothean neural physiology.  It is no wonder the information you received was confused, unclear.  Frankly, I'm amazed.  Most minds would have been broken by the experience.  You must be very strong willed."  She looked at Shepard, the concern in her gaze matching her words.

Shepard was trying to decide how to answer, Was that a compliment or am I about to lose my marbles?  Why is she still staring at me? , when Wrex broke the silence with a grunt.  

"This is all very touching, but it isn't getting us closer to the Conduit or Saren." Wrex grumped.

Liara shook her head and Shepard nodded.  "Of course," Liara said. "Discussion of the Protheans and your data can wait.  I am afraid though, that I have no immediate clues as to where or even completely what the Conduit is."

"Ok, but Saren wouldn't have sent anyone after you if he didn't either need you or consider you a threat." Shepard looked at the young Asari and nodded in decision. "I think you'll be safest if you stay with us for the time being.  At least until we figure out what's going on."

Liara's shoulders sagged slightly with a release of tension. "Thank you Commander.  The thought that Saren might still be after me is disturbing, but I cannot think of a safer place of refuge than your ship.  And of course, I will be happy to use my knowledge to assist in any way I can."

"Plus those biotics will come in handy once the killing starts!" Wrex said with a low chuckle.

Liara looked startled, Shepard smiled reassuringly. "You'll get used to him.  What he should have said was, 'We're glad to have you on the team.'"

"Thank you Commander, it is..." Liara started to speak then swayed on her feet, almost falling until Shepard caught her.  "Sorry, I am afraid I am feeling a bit light headed."

Kaidan stood up and asked, "When was the last time you got any sleep, or anything to eat?  We should probably have Doctor Chakwas check you over." He took a step forward, but Shepard waved him back.

"It is probably just mental fatigue combined with..." Liara started to protest as Shepard guided her to the hatch.

Shepard spoke over her, "The rest of you are dismissed.  Joker, put us on course for the Feros colony.  Doct.. Liara, lets have Doctor Chakwas take a look at you.  We can talk again later."


	22. A break between missions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some conversation, some lunch, the author trying to practice dialogue. Work in progress on this and following chapters. Having a bit of trouble balancing my mental vision of where the characters will be towards the end of the story and where I need them to be here in the first part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my world/characters/etc... blah blah disclaimer.

**Normandy SR-1**

**In Transit, Knossos System**

 

Liara found herself propelled towards the ship's infirmary with a gentle firmness.  Shepard quelled her nascent protests with a single look and, when she'd tried to downplay her near fainting spell to the ship's physician, had given Liara a look usually reserved for rambunctious children and explained to the physician, "She's probably dehydrated, suffering from a calorie deficit from biotic use while fatigued and likely some mental trauma from the conditions."

The physician, Doctor Chakwas, no Karin she insisted I call her, had chuckled. "I see, so like you after a mission then."

Shepard had laughed and replied, "No, she wasn't shot.  So she's got that over me."  Shepard then turned to Liara and pointed to one of the exam tables. "Sit down Liara.  You're not going anywhere until she clears it.  My orders." She'd looked at Karin with a raised eyebrow and the physician had replied seriously, "Understood, Commander."

Liara stared at the hatch after the Commander had left, feeling somewhat overwhelmed still.  Are all humans as confusing as the Commander?  Her concern for my well being does not seem to match the soldier I saw on Therum.

"Right then, Liara was it?" Karin's right hand touched Liara's neck as her left sought the pressure point in Liara's elbow.  It seemed the physician knew how to take an Asari's pulse. She was still speaking. "Lets just check your vitals and see if there are any injuries you may have failed to report, shall we?  Lay back and relax, I promise we'll have you up and about in no time."

Two hours later Liara seriously doubted Doctor Chakwas' sense of time.  She'd be run through a battery of electronic scanners and manual examinations.  Fluids had been administered, analgesics and supplements supplied.  Through it all Karin had been so polite Liara could not protest any of the times she'd been told "Just one more thing we need to check."

Eventually Liara fell asleep on the examination bed.  She realized much later that Karin's constant low conversation and detailed explanation of the tests and results had been intended to produce that effect without a sedative.  She woke, an indeterminate time later, to the smell of food.  Her stomach growled and she sat up as Karin placed a tray on the platform that extended from the examination bed.  The tray carried three dishes of food, all unfamiliar to her and she raised an eyebrow at the note card she saw on the tray.

Start with this.  Trust me, you'll like it.

-Shepard

An arrow drawn on the card pointed to a dark brown confection of some sort.  It does smell good. Liara thought to herself.  

Karin watched her for a moment and glanced at the note and chuckled.  She seemed to do that a lot. "I can see that the Commander is attempting to spread her bad habits.  Undoubtedly you will enjoy that dish, but traditionally deserts follow the rest of the meal.  As your physician, you need to eat something with more nutritional value than German Chocolate Cake on an empty stomach."

Liara blushed, she didn't know exactly why, and nodded.  She took the cover from a large bowl and found it filled with a reddish liquid.  She looked up at Karin who pointed at the dishes in order.  "Tomato soup.  Its an Earth vegetable puree basically, well fruit if one is being pedantic.  That one is a toasted bread, it's made from grains, with a melted animal product called cheese.  Colloquially its called 'grilled cheese', though I doubt it actually was grilled in a frigate's galley.  It looks like the Commander interfered with more than just the desert, surprising.  Still, apart from the cake, its all fairly gentle on one's system.  I suggest you start with the soup."

Karin sat on the bed next to Liara's and folded her arms.  Apparently she intended to ensure Liara ate by watching her.  Humans, it seems, have earned their reputation for being bossy. Liara lifted a spoonful of the soup to her mouth, it turned out to be warm and surprisingly good.  She had to admit, it did make her feel better almost immediately.  She tried the 'grilled cheese' and was delighted to find out it complimented the soup perfectly.  She paused between bites to ask Karin a question. "You said the Commander's changes were surprising?  In what way, they seem to be excellent choices."

"Ah, I'm guessing you've spent most of your time on commercial transports." She pointed at the tray.  "Fresh, or at least well prepared, foods are a luxury item on military vessels.  Especially a smaller ship, like the Normandy.  Usually that would be reconstituted textured proteins and a few ration bars."

Liara looked ate in silence for several minutes and finally spoke, confused. "So where did it come from then?"  I suspect I am being pampered, and I do not know why.  It makes me uncomfortable.

"Since those are three of the Commander’s personal favorites, I suspect it came from her ‘stash’.” Karin replied with a shrug.  “She probably brought along some frozen meals to get some variety.”

“Ingredients.” Commander Shepard said as the hatch closed behind her. “You can bring along more if you just bring the components and make it on board.”  Shepard walked across the bay and stood near the examination bed. “I take it you liked the soup?”

Liara sat up straighter and closed her mouth while she suppressed a squeak of surprise.  She noticed Shepard was still looking at her. “Yes, very much.  The ‘grilled cheese’ and the soup are an excellent pairing.” she said swallowing.

Shepard nodded and looked at Karin.  “Doctor, if you’ll excuse us for a bit, I need to talk with your patient.”

“Of course, Commander, I’ll swing by the galley and be back in 15 minutes.” Karin replied.

“Make that 30 please.” Shepard directed. “I promise I won’t overtax our guest.  Plus, if you hurry, there should be a bowl left for you.”  The doctor smiled at Shepard and left with a wave.

Shepard sat on the vacated bed and pointed to the cake.  “I see our ship’s self appointed mother-hen got you to eat your meal first.  Go ahead and keep eating, we can talk between bites.”

“Commander, I believe I have received special treatment and - while I am grateful for the food and care, I…” she trailed off looking down. How do I ask, why are you being nice to me when my mother is working with your enemies?

“You’re wondering why we’re, or more specifically I’m, treating you so well?” Shepard asked with a more serious expression.

Liara froze for a moment, then looked down and nodded, embarrassed.

She heard rustling and glanced up to see Shepard stretching out on the other examination bed, putting her feet up and crossing her arms behind her head.  After arranging herself, Shepard sighed.  “I could say that its simply the right way to treat guests.  That it comes from growing up on a farm, you like to see food enjoyed, shared.  And that would be partly true.”  Shepard stared at the ceiling for a long minute.  Liara wondered if she should say something.

Finally Shepard spoke again.  “A cynic would say its to win you over to help us against your mother.  It would be a valid reason - but wrong.  I suppose it's partly because you remind me of Sa… a happier time.”  She rolled over to face Liara. “You know I lived with an Asari family for half an Earth year when I was younger.  I still visit when I get leave that's long enough, its the closest thing I have to a home these days.  They left me with a peculiar taste in fashion and makeup, a love of strange sea foods, an encyclopedic knowledge of certain vid series, and the ability to read Asari body language like a book.”  Liara flushed in embarrassment again as Shepard continued. “It also happens to be one of the reasons I decided to trust you right off.  Eat your cake, you still need to build up your reserves after Therum.”

Liara pondered those words as obeyed, picking up her fork.   I want to know the other reasons, she realized and tried the, chocolate cake I think Karin called it.  Her eyes widened at the flavor, derailing her previous thoughts.  It was extremely sweet, and very rich.  She suspected this small slice contained as many calories as the other items had combined.  Shepard ginned at her expression.  “I said you’d like it.  Anyway, the point is there’s not really just one reason I made lunch.  It was a combination of things.”

“You made this?” Liara said with a slight squeak of surprise.

Shepard shrugged, “The soup and sandwich, yes.  Easy enough to follow a recipe if you can read a military manual.  The soup is particularly easy, blend ingredients - heat.  The cake is from a bakery on the Citadel.” She grinned again, a quick flash that made her seem younger.  And more attractive… I am starting to understand the light headed feeling. Shepard was still speaking. “Don’t let on that I shared my cake though.  Otherwise everyone will wonder why you were so special.”

“I’m special?” came out of her mouth before her brain could stop it.  Liara blushed furiously again.  Shepard opened her mouth then closed it.  Her expression was hard to decipher.

The silence had just reached an awkward point when Shepard shook her head and sat up suddenly. She looked as if she were going to leave, then sighed again and shrugged. “Yes.” she said simply.  “My instincts tell me you are.  And you’re looking much better, I presume you’re feeling up to some discussion?” she continued more briskly.

Liara hoped her face didn’t give away her reaction to this unnerving human.  She tried for the same brisk tone.   “Yes, I believe I am going to be fine.  Doctor Chakwas’ examination was quite thorough.  I am impressed with her knowledge of Asari physiology.”

“I know, from a distressing amount of personal experience, that she’s the best.  She probably was thrilled to be treating something other than a gunshot wound.” Shepard said with a shade of her former easy manner.

“I should thank you again, Commander, if you hadn't shown up - the Geth…” Liara shuddered.

“I’m just glad we got there in time to help.” Shepard said, shrugging again as if rescuing academics from synthetic soldiers and exploding volcanoes was a daily activity.  Liara considered this, Given her status as an officer and SPECTRE, it is entirely possible actually.

“So am I.” Liara said. “I know you took a chance by bringing me aboard, I have seen the way your crew looked at me.  They do not trust me”  Not like you seem to, Chief Williams seemed - hostile.

“That’s not true.  I mean…” Shepard started and Liara interrupted, “I am not like Benezia.  I will help you stop Saren.  I will prove I am trustworthy.”

Shepard spoke softly. “Liara, I already trust you.”

“And it means a lot to me that you do, thank you, but I still feel I must prove worth of that trust.” Liara said.

“Well, that probably means heading out with us into the field from time to time.  Normally if someone’s joining the crew, I’d have a personnel file or something to go on.  Out here, I’m going to have to find out about you the old fashioned way.  I have to ask.  So, tell me about you, Liara.” Shepard replied.

"Me?  I am not sure you would find it interesting.  I spend most of my time alone, searching for clues in ruins or archives.  Most of the time I believe it is for the best." Liara said.

Shepard cocked her head to the side, "You don't like people?" she asked.

"No, no." Liara shook her head. "I am saying things wrong.  I have grown used to being alone, simply because I have never been very good with people.  It could be from growing up as a Matriarch's daughter."

"People had expectations of you." Shepard's tone made it a statement, not a question.

"Yes, and no.  I believe some of it was an expectation that I would follow a well charted path to leadership.  Both from my mother and my classmates.  It is possibly why I chose archeology, the past." Liara sighed. "It contributed to the distance between myself and Benezia.  Perhaps if I had stayed, I could have swayed her from this path."

"It sounds like most children, trying to find something for themselves." Shepard commented, then stood and moved to sit next to Liara. "And you can't beat yourself up over what your mother has done.  Her mistakes and choices are her own."

"You speak with the wisdom of the Matriarchs, Commander Shepard." Liara said with a wan smile.

"I think, when we're talking like this you can call me Lilias, Commander Shepard makes me wonder if I did something wrong.  And as to the wisdom, most of that is paraphrased from things Matriarch Lidanya taught me.  So I suppose I should thank her in my next letter." Shepard grinned. "She'll be pleased her lessons stuck." She continued more seriously, "You said part.  There's more to your isolation than just your career?"

Liara felt an unexpected flash of happiness, It is as if the sharing of Comma... Lilias' name took down a barrier.  I feel comfortable here, more than with my own people in the past 15 years.  "Yes, are you familiar with the term 'pureblood' as it relates to Asari culture?" she asked.

"I know it to be an insulting term.  I never understood exactly why.  I think the Matriarch and her daughters thought it was bad manners to discuss it, that anyone using the term as an insult was in the wrong."  Shepard looked at her.  "Why?"

“It is a term I heard many times, especially when no one thought I could hear.  Benezia never told me who my, ‘father’ would be the human term, was but it became clear she was Asari.  Many Asari consider such a relationship to be... taboo in some ways.” Liara said, wondering what Lilias would say.  At least she is unlikely to insult me, even if only for good manners.  She didn’t expect what happened, when Lilias hugged her.

When Lilias released her, she spoke quietly. “It must have been hard to grow up with, doubly hard to share.”  She cleared her throat.  “And if you damage my ‘hardass commander’ image, I may get violent.” she said with a smile.

Liara took a minute to gather her thoughts, the hug had scattered them.  She took a deep breath. “So with those things, I took to studying the past.  Studying the Protheans was without judgment, a field where my background was irrelevant even if my age counted against me.  In time, I found the interpretation of fragmentary data to be soothing and the Protheans became almost an obsession for  me.  I wanted to learn everything about them” She looked up at Lilias. “It is part of why I find you so fascinating, you were touched by working Prothean technology.”

Lilias’ eyes narrowed a little, “Sounds like you want to dissect me in a lab somewhere.”

“What?” Liara’s eyes shot wide and she stiffened. “No!  I…” she stammered. “I did not mean anything like that.  Lilias, I did not want to offend you I simply meant that your mental and physical status would make for interesting study… no that makes it worse.”  she twisted her hands in frustration.

“Relax Liara.” Lilias said, chuckling. “I was joking.”

“Oh, by the goddess.  Joking, of course.  How could I have been so dense.  You can see now why I spend so much time alone.  I typically make a fool of myself.  Please, just pretend this conversation never happened.”

“Oh, not on your life T’soni.” Lilias grinned again. “I’ve enjoyed our conversation too much for that.”  The smile was still there, but the humor had muted some. “And I’d like to do it again sometime.  Its been a while since I had someone outside the chain of command to just talk to.  You don’t mind do you?”

“I have enjoyed it as well.  Apart from, what do you say ‘putting my feet in my mouth’?; I have felt more comfortable than I did in the previous several years.” Liara replied, calming down.  She is fascinating, though, and for more than just touching the beacon.  She is strong and seems kind, so unlike what they say about her species.  “So no, I do not mind.” I would be more disturbed if we did not speak again.

“Foot, putting your foot in your mouth.  And I did kind of trip you into it.”  Lilias sighed. “I think we’re coming up on the time limit we set, Doctor Chakwas will be very cross with me if I overtire you.” Lilias stood, with what Liara wishfully thought was a bit of reluctance, and walked towards the hatch.  Turning back, she waved. “I’ll check in on you again later, and we’ll need to set up time to get you up to speed on comm protocols and basic field certifications.  For now I’ll ask Karin to put you in the spare office there.” She pointed to the rear of the bay. “You’ll probably be more comfortable away from crowds.”  She disappeared through the hatch and Liara was left alone with her thoughts.

Liara laid back on the bed and tried to sort out her thoughts and emotions.  It had been a stressful few days and she needed to know what thoughts were real and what were just the fatigue speaking.  She drifted in a half meditative state, and as she worked through events she realized one feeling was very strong, and resisted attempts to analyse.  Lilias Shepard is a mystery I want… no.  I must understand.

The hatch opened again and Liara sat up quickly, to see Karin return.  The older human waved and sat at her desk across the room.  “Doctor?” Liara asked, getting up and walking over to sit in the chair opposite the desk.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” Karin said, looking up from a report.

Liara hesitated.  She wanted to ask about Lilias, but didn’t know how to start. “Lil… the Commander said something about using the spare office?” she said instead.

“Oh, of course!” Karin said, standing. “Come on, I’ll unlock it for you.  I’ve been using it for storage, but it should do quite nicely.  It has a terminal and bed I’ve used before.”  She led the way back to the door and keyed it open.

Liara looked around and was happy to note that it was larger than most compartments she’d had aboard transports.  The terminal made it feel almost like some of the rooms she’d used in school.  “This will be quite nice.”  She crossed the small room to sit at the terminal and turned in the chair to face the doctor who’d followed her in.

Karin propped a hip on a box and said, “I’m glad you like it.  I was going to say I’m surprised, but I should have known the Commander wouldn't put a guest in a sleep pod with the enlisted crew.”

Liara grimaced in distaste, she’d used the pods before on a discount transport.  She’d never done it again.  That does provide an opening.  “About the Commander.” she started.

\-----

“About the Commander” Liara said and Karin watched as a brief shading of purple crossed the young Asari’s features.  Oh dear, the poor thing is like a teenager with a crush.

Karin crossed her arms and leaned comfortably against the crates. “What about the Commander?” she asked.

Liara looked up and opened her mouth, then closed it.  She finally asked, “It seems you have known the Commander for some time and, if I am to be of assistance - part of the crew, I wondered if there was anything you could tell me about her?  I realized after speaking with her that she told me little about her past outside of the fact that she lived with an Asari family.  I believe she was going to say that I reminded her of someone before she stopped herself.”

I wonder if Shepard was talking about… I don’t want to be the one to broach the Mindoir topic,  on the other hand, its probably time she grew up and got over her hangups.  Karin considered and then nodded.  I may have to enlist some help... She finally spoke, “Normally I try not to talk about the Commander, people could think I’m trying to play on a personal relationship with my chain of command.” She held up a hand at Liara’s worried expression. “I’m going to break that in this case for two reasons.  First, I trust that you’ll keep anything I share with you to yourself.  Second, Shepard won’t talk about some of it willingly and if you’re going to be her… friend, you need to know what you’re getting into.”

Liara looked as if she was about to speak and Karin waved her down, “No hold that until I’m done.”  When Liara nodded Karin continued. “I hope you’ll pardon the informality I’m about to display, but I’ve known Lilias since she was about 14 years old.  I suppose that means I’ve known her, been her doctor and friend for half her life.”  Liara’s eyes widened and Karin smiled.  “And I believe I know the person she nearly said you reminded her of.  Do you know anything about a human colony called Mindoir?”

“It is a fairly warm, fairly small world.  Farming colony I believe.” Liara blinked at the apparent non-sequitur.  “It was involved in some sort of Batarian slave raid some years ago I think.  I read a news update while I was in school, it seemed a terrible tragedy.”  She blinked again and looked thoughtful.

Karin gave her a second nodded when Liara looked up with an unspoken question.

“Oh goddess.  She was there?  When it happened?” Liara asked.

Karin sighed, “Yes.”  She watched the wheels turn in Liara’s head from her expressions.  It was obvious that a first rate analyst lived in that mind.  

Liara sat straighter and inhaled sharply. “I remind her of someone who died in the raid, don’t I.”

“I suspect so, at least in part.  She lost everyone she knew, family and friends.  Her whole life.  It was terrible, and she didn’t respond in a healthy way.” Karin explained.  “But what nearly broke her, what we nearly lost her to, was the death of a young woman named Sandra.”

\-----

Liara considered that for a moment.  Lilias seems so strong, so collected, she stood between me and a Krogan for goddess sake - without hesitating.  How could one person… She stopped and spoke after a long moment. “She was, special to Lili… the Commander.”  

“That’s a surprisingly good way to put it.  I don’t think they were ever ‘together’ in any real way, but she was special, yes.” Karin said then shook her head and continued. “Anyway, Lilias saw some things, heard some things - things you really don’t want to know, frankly.  Those things nearly broke her.”

“I did not expect to learn…” Liara said, wiping her eyes, So much pain - she makes more sense now. “I had expected to hear about her career.”

Karin smiled gently, “You can get that from a terminal, the highlights of Commander Shepard are a matter of record - and at least one entertainment vid I believe.  The details of Lilias Shepard, however, no file could tell you.”

“What got her through it?  She seems so… strong now.  I only wish I could be that sure of myself.” Liara said.

“It wasn’t so much a what, as who.  Well, a group of people.”  She paused, obviously trying to decide how much to say, then shrugged. “It isn’t bragging to say that I saved her life after the raid.  I put her body back together, gave her physical means to control her abilities.  It was the Matriarch who taught her how, and why to control those abilities.  And it was Lidanya’s family, I believe, who saved her… I suppose the best word is soul, taught her to live with her memories.  Her godfather, Victor Karsten and Captain Anderson - they gave her purpose, a new family one could say, in the Service.”  She shook her head and in a tone Liara identified as fondly annoyed continued. “So on the surface I suppose, she is strong, but I think brittle.  She takes leave alone, she makes friends but keeps a distance.  She’s alone, usually, on the anniversary of the Raid.”  Karin sighed. “She’s never gone back, not even for a visit.  Owns a home there, her godfather lives in it.  I don’t think she’s ever completely healed, if I had to be honest.”  

Liara looked at the doctor and frowned in thought.  Such a contrast to the confident officer and friendly woman I've seen so far.  "She mentioned not having someone outside the chain of command to just talk to.  Perhaps I can...  I mean I am not a soldier, but maybe I can still help by being that person?"

“Yes, dear, I think you can.” Karin said levelly and rose. “We can talk more later, if we need to.  I need to get back to my paperwork and you need to sleep.  I understand we’re on our way to colony world with Prothean ruins. You won’t want to miss it.”


	23. Making the Rounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard continues to make the rounds of the crew. Shameless expository "lets learn about people". Much like the game. This and the next couple will be a bit short. Working up to events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of this... not mine. I'm just happy to have this playground to use. The equipment belongs to Bioware.

**Normandy SR-1**

**In Transit, Knossos System**

 

Chief Williams heard the elevator door opening and  looked up from the inner workings of the M-7 she had disassembled on the workbench.  Commander Shepard was stepping out into the vehicle bay looking quite a bit more relaxed than she had on the Citadel when she’d asked Ashley and Kaidan to keep an eye on her.  In what seemed to be an unconscious display of situational awareness and agility, she dodged a speeding pallet of Mako parts being pushed by the supply officer.

Williams could hear the embarrassed officer’s apologies from the other side of the bay, along with Shepard’s reply.  “No harm no foul LT, just mind the safety perimeter on the elevator.” as she headed towards Williams.

As she got closer, Williams could see a slight smile on her face and noted that the Commander seemed to be humming tunelessly.  Interesting. Williams thought.

"Chief?  Got a minute?  I was interrupted in making the rounds by hitting the relay.  I wanted to catch up with you if you aren't busy." Shepard asked, hopping up to sit on the edge of the workbench.

Williams couldn't stop the surprise from reaching her face.  Shepard grinned, “I've taken a look at your jacket and I’m aware that most officers, especially senior ones, probably don't spend much time talking to you.”  She snorted derisively.  “Probably afraid of contaminating their career.  Idiots.”

“Ma’am…” Williams started then trailed off.  I’m not really sure how to respond to that.

“Its allright, chief.  I’m not trying to catch you out on something and I don’t hold your family history against you.”  Shepard said gently.  “In fact, its not widely spoken, but the general consensus of the ICT instructors is that General WIlliams made the only call he could in surrendering.  Our current policy of allowing forces to occupy a bit of land, then coming in to kick them back out could be considered a tacit acceptance of that as well.”  She shrugged and continued. “I thought you should know, it was Captain Anderson who originally transferred you aboard, but after I had a chance to see your scores and how you performed on Eden Prime, there was no way I’d let you slip back to garrison duty.  You belong here.”

Shepard had finished in a matter of fact tone, and Williams found that more reassuring than the words almost.  The idea that this wasn’t revelatory to Shepard, just the facts, made it more real. She found she couldn't speak.  Her family had been Alliance and prior military for generations, and the unofficial blacklist they’d been on since Shanxi had hurt.  To hear that from a senior officer, an N7 for God’s sake. Williams sighed. If only my dad were around to hear that.  It was a lot fresher when he was in.  Aloud, but quietly, she finally spoke. “Ma’am, I can’t say how much it means to hear that.  After all that’s happened.”

Shepard nodded and continued in a lighter tone, “So, enough of that.  Tell me what isn’t in the personnel jacket, what do you do for fun?  Any special skills no one bothered to list?”

“Special skills, ma’am?” Williams replied quirking an eyebrow.

“You know, like cooking.  Or boosting air cars off the street without keys. Playing the piano.  Engineering drought resistant strawberries...” Shepard flicked her fingers as if ticking off an imaginary list.  Williams stared at her and Shepard paused, then looked slightly sheepish. “I mean not that I…”

Williams looked at her with a mock stern expression and Shepard sighed.  “Ok, yes, I can do all of those things.  I suffer from skill acquisition disorder, I blame the ICT academy.  They crammed too much into us.  Though I did go to school for that last one.”  Shepard resumed her questioning expression, “So you?”

“Well, nothing like that.  I’ve done a little work in metals, made a few necklaces.  I think it was a natural outgrowth from making small parts for repairs at the ass end of a supply chain.”  Williams snorted at the memory. “For fun I mostly enjoy getting home when I can, being with family.  And poetry.”

“Poetry?” Shepard queried, obviously surprised.

“Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.” Williams quoted without hesitation.  At Shepard’s raised eyebrow she continued. “Its from Ulysses by Tennyson.  My father’s favorite poem.”

Shepard smiled and shook her head.  “I wouldn't have pegged you as a reader of the classics.”

“Just because I come within 2% of your long range rifle score, doesn't mean I can’t like sensitive and cultured things.  Still though, please don't spread that around and ruin my image.” Williams replied.

“I see you’ve read up on me a bit.” Shepard observed.

Williams looked down at her feet for a long moment before replying.  "Even with all that's happened, the Alliance is a part of me, family.  With what happened on Eden Prime, then the Citadel... I needed to know..."  She trailed off trying to find a way to say it that wasn't confrontational.

"If you could trust me?" Shepard asked, surprisingly gently.

"No... maybe.  More if you really were who all the rumors said?" Williams looked up, hoping her discomfort with questioning the commander was evident.

"Ah, trying to reconcile the Shepard of that one vid and the news reports to the 'shorter than you thought' reality?" Shepard replied with grin.

"That and the HET legend." 

"Legend?"

"I don't think Chief Ellison ever quite got over your squad making it through his favorite character building exercise.  He used your teams performance to push other classes." Williams' voice dropped into a low imitation of Ellison's gruffness.  "You know, Shepard's middy squad made it through that - and kept their gear clean besides!"

Shepard laughed, "You know, Sergeant Major Karsten talked about that incident once.  Apparently Ellison lost 100 credits on the capture the flag scenario."

"I could see hard feelings about that." Williams said with a grin, then looked down. "So yeah, I wanted to know."

"And did you find out what you needed?" Shepard replied.

Williams relaxed, Shepard wasn't taking it badly. "Yeah, I think you're exactly what you seem to be.  An officer I'm proud to serve with, so please don't take this as questioning your motives or me having some problem with aliens... but" She paused, and decided to just say it. "What's up with you and Dr. T'Soni?"

Shepard leaned back, just a bit quickly and looked confused. "Dr. T'Soni?  I'm not sure what you mean."

"It just seemed like you knew her... or something." Williams explained, a bit lamely.

"Know her?  Well, not know precisely.  Did the file you read have much of my background?" Shepard said, with more assurance.

"Not too much.  I saw Mindoir listed." Williams left the rest unsaid.

Shepard nodded. "Ok, well before I entered the academy, I... I needed training for my biotics and a place to stay.  That ended up being with Matriarch Lidanya and her family on Nical."  She smiled, obviously at happier memories. "So I'm probably just a bit more comfortable around Asari than the average human."

"Ah, that's where you knew her from.  I'd wondered how you knew the commander of the Citadel's flagship.  So, that's it?  You weren't protective for some other reason?" Williams prodded.

"Other reason?" Shepard repeated, eyes narrowing.

"Its not that I don't trust, no that's not it.  She's not Alliance, so I worry that we can trust her and given her mother's ties... I just want to be sure, I mean its not my place to judge or try to protect you, but I want to be sure you're not compromised." Williams explained.

Shepard inhaled before responding, "I believe her, I think she's being straight with us. Or, at least, I don't think she lies very often.  She's led a sheltered life in some ways."

"Yeah, she's probably really bad at it. Sheltered, hmm.  Hey, want me to ask about her sex life? Might be illuminating." Williams grinned.

Shepard smiled crookedly, "Don't be cruel, I don't think she's used to teasing, good-natured or otherwise."

Williams pouted. "Aw, no fun, skipper."

"Besides, that's none of my business." Shepard said, with a hint of disappointment Williams thought, so she decided to probe.

"Really? Hm. Scuttlebutt says otherwise."

"Scuttlebutt." Shepard repeated with no inflection.

"Um, well Garrus.  Garrus and I were talking after the mission." Williams said in a rush, seeing the expression on Shepard's face. "And he was mentioning that it seemed to him, you know because all of the people watching he'd done on the Wards, that maybe you were interested in Dr. T'soni."

Shepard paled a bit.  Opened her mouth, then closed it.  "Interested." She said finally. She took a deep breath and her lips pressed into a thin line.

Something deep inside Williams made her ignore her self-preservation instinct and speak.  "So..."

“Excuse me, I need to deal with this.”  Shepard hopped of the workbench and marched across the bay with a purposeful stride, her expression a thundercloud.

Williams watched her walk away bit her lower lip in worry.  Shepard's reaction to the discussion of Dr. T'soni seemed out of character.  It may be worth following up with Kaidan on, she thought to herself.

 


	24. Making the Rounds cont.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard talks to the next crew member on her list. Short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who owns all of this? Bioware does that's who.

**Normandy SR-1**

**In Transit, Theseus System**

Garrus was leaning over his disassembled rifle, he'd always loved the simple act of tuning a machine for performance.  Calibrating something to the perfect specification for the task.  He’d actually considered the Turian Engineering Corps at one point before accepting his academy posting.  So he could be excused for not hearing the Commander walking up behind him, even though her steps were heavy and the deck plating wasn’t exactly suited to a stealthy approach.

 Shepard’s burble of laughter at his expense was probably justified at his reaction when she cleared her throat and said “Officer Vakarian?”  He jerked upright, spinning in place, raising his right hand in a reflexive salute.  This caused the small container of weapon lubricant to impact his forehead and dispense approximately a quarter of its content down his face.  He stood absolutely still for a moment while Shepard stifled her laughter.

 “Ahem… At ease Officer Vakarian.”  Shepard took a breath and visibly exerted control over her expression.  “I didn’t mean to surprise you like that.”  She cocked her head to the side, “What are you working on that’s got you so focused, equipment problem?”

 Garrus lowered his hand and tried to figure out how to salvage some dignity.  A hope that was dashed when Shepard reached out to hand him a handkerchief.  He wiped the fluid from his face and broke down in chuckles.  “No Commander, no problem other than my own clumsiness when I’m working on calibrations.  What can I do for you?”

 He watched as the Commander’s expression grew more serious.  He began to worry that something had gone wrong already with the mission or that he’d screwed something up.  He was about to break the silence when the Commander finally spoke.

 She paused, and asked, “What’s your opinion of Doctor T’Soni?”  She seemed about to say more, but she sighed and was apparently waiting for him to reply.

 “I haven’t had time to do a complete check, but you aren't given a doctorate from the University of Thessia for being incompetent.  She seemed genuinely worried and concerned about her mother’s activities, and without sounding unkind, I believe she’s not very good at hiding her intentions.”  He stopped, wondering why the Commander had asked him this, then decided to just ask.  “Why do you ask, Commander?”

 “Shepard.  Or Lilias in some situations.  Calling me Commander all the time feels way too formal.  And I asked because you made a comment to Williams that I would guess has started a rumor that’s already made it around the lower decks by now.” She replied.

 Garrus froze for a moment.  Crap, the thought, humans think relationships in military organizations are a … what did they call it ‘Conflict of Interest?’  He spoke aloud, a little quickly, “Com… Shepard, I’m sorry.  I was just making an idle observation to the Chief.  On a Turian vessel you’d get a few jokes and that would be the end of it.  Its not really a big deal since it falls outside protocol.  How badly have I stepped in it here?”

 “I expect the Chief Williams think’s I’m over here tearing you a new one right now, but I’ve had a few minutes to cool down and realize some things.”  Shepard pushed some tools out of the way and hopped up to sit on the workbench.  “I am forced to admit that my actions around Lia… Doctor T’Soni are atypical for me.”  She paused.

 He clicked his mandibles, wondering what to say.  Turians were not well suited to this sort of discussion with their superiors.  Finally he said, “Are you wondering if your actions in the debrief and giving her a private space indicate some kind of favoritism or that you’ve been compromised?”

 Shepard frowned, “I wouldn't have said it that way, but yes.  You've got an outside viewpoint and more importantly, one that isn't human.”  She gestured around, indicating the whole of the ship if he was any judge of expressions.  “I’m responsible for more people now directly than I've been in charge of since I commanded my own unit, and that was a single platoon this is an independent naval command.  So I can't just wing like I have on solo ops, I have to try to follow the regs.”

 Garrus was confused, Shepard seemed to be rambling which wasn’t his read on her from their previous encounters. “Shepard, nothing you’ve done would violate regulations on a Turian vessel, and I can see some very good reasons to have handled the debrief the way you did.  Embarrassment aside, no one was going to get T'Soni to stop talking any faster and if it had been a Turian crew I'd have shot Alenko down for being out of line.”  Shepard was nodding, listening, and he continued. “As to the private quarters, she’s essentially a civilian.  A civilian who needs medical monitoring for a while.  Where you put her seems quite practical from that viewpoint.”  He chuckled at a thought, and went ahead and said it. “So, if you're suffering from the completely normal attraction of any healthy sentient being to a pretty Asari, it hasn't compromised the ship that I can tell.”

 “Well, “ Shepard said with a smile, “if that’s all this is, I’m in good shape.”  She stopped, considering him with a sideways glance.  “It occurs to me that I grabbed you for this mission with my Spectre authority and didn’t give a lot of thought to how to integrate you outside of combat.  An official position one could say.”

 “Um, that’s not really nes…” He started to say before she interrupted him.

 Grin widening she said, “Oh no, I insist.  You’ve been quite helpful and you obviously get along with the Chief, and if you had time for chatting I can assign you additional duties.” He winced, which in Turians was a similar expression to humans, just with clacking mandibles, and she kept going. “I think I’m going to call you the equivalent of a Naval Lieutenant, that tracks with your Turian rank, and slot you in as a liaison with XO Pressley.  Your experience in C-Sec should help him with navigating the regulations where we dock and he’s new to the XO job, he could use the help with paperwork and interfacing with the crew.”

 He closed his eyes then opened them. “This is a perfectly reasonable request and use of my skills, and totally revenge for me telling Chief Williams what I saw on Therum isn't it?  You know I wanted out of C-Sec to get away from bureaucracy and red tape, right?”

 “Yes, you didn’t think I'd let you off the hook just because I'm feeling angsty?  Report to XO Pressley before our next planetfall to offer your services Lieutenant Vakarian.” Shepard jumped down and looked at him until he spoke.

 “Aye, aye, Ma'am.”

 


	25. Mission Prep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparing for the mission on Feros. There's training, and guns, and characters doing things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bioware's characters and world, I just visit there.

**Normandy SR-1**

**In Transit, Theseus System**

Shepard crossed the deck to the elevator and punched for the crew deck. As the platform began to move, she felt what could only be described as a wrinkle in the fabric of space.. She'd always been sensitive to the ships she'd served on, it had become something of a running wardroom joke on the Einstein that if you needed to know the state of the ship's drive it was faster to ask Shepard than call engineering. Privately she suspected it had to do with her biotics. Some kind of interaction with the ship's mass effect envelope. She'd seen other biotics react to shipboard changes in the instances where she'd served alongside them.

The elevator arrived and as she exited she punched her com and called the flight deck.

"Flight? Did we change course?"

"Ma'am? Ah, yes we did ma'am. I just put us on course for the third planet out from Theseus, Sharring - standard gas giant ." Joker responded.

"Need to discharge the core?" she asked.

"XO Presley thought we should take the opportunity before we jump to the Exo Geni facility on Feros. His exact words were 'With a colony out of contact I don't want us to suddenly be without FTL maneuvering.'" Joker replied.

"Good thinking. While we're waiting, get us tied into the com network. Upload reports and let me know before we disconnect. I'll have some correspondence. Tell Presley I'll be in my cabin to catch some shuteye, I'll want the usual department reports at 0700.  Speaking of shuteye, turn things over to your relief.  If I catch you pulling doubles again except on order - I’ll have you scrubbing the enlisted bathroom. Clear?"

"Clear, ma'am." Joker sounded chagrined that Shepard had caught him in the chair on his off time.  He didn't cut the com though, and his voice was curious when he continued. "Commander, how did you know we'd changed course? I could have sworn I kept it well under the field's dampening threshold."

Shepard grinned to herself. "Deck vibrations pitched up to about 250 hz." she replied, the white lie coming easily.  Most people reacted strangely when she told them the truth, that she felt the warping of space when the ship moved like you might feel the bunching of a tablecloth when you run your hand over it.

"Uhm. Ok." Joker's voice indicated he didn't quite know what to make of that. "I'll let you know when we have a com bouy online."

"Thanks." Shepard cut her com and headed to her cabin and sleep. Maybe this will all work itself out without getting complicated.  Maybe she'd be able to get through this mission without behaving like a teenager with a crush.  And maybe pigs will be flying by in formation when we hit the Citadel next time, Shepard thought to herself.

\-----

"Doctor T'Soni, please report to the cargo bay." Liara looked up in surprise as the voice she recognized as the ship's pilot, Joker, came over her desk comm. "Doctor T'Soni, please report to the cargo bay." he repeated.

She frowned, not quite sure what to think.  This was her first experience with a human military vessel, or really any military vessel. and the abrupt summons was disconcerting.  She rose from her desk and pulled on her boots, wondering if this meant she'd be going planetside with the crew.  She did not have any store of equipment as it had been left behind on Therum, so there was nothing else to grab in any event.

She walked out of her cabin and looked at Dr. Chakwas with a raised eyebrow as she passed.  The older woman smiled and said, "I believe the Commander wanted to take this opportunity to evaluate your field skills in preparation for visiting Feros.  I understand that it's going to be another 12 hours before we arrive, so there is ample time."

Liara could not quite hide her relief, nor could she stop herself from simultaneously feeling apprehensive as she made her way to the elevator.  One one hand, it was not new bad news or something she did.  On the other hand, she was going to be evaluated for field duty by highly trained professionals.  Probably by the Commander herself.  The evaluation did not worry her excessively, she could see the need for it.  Despite her biotics, she had required rescuing on Therum.  The crew needed to know how much support she would be or need in the field.

The Commander's presence generated a sense of anxiety she was unused to.

The elevator doors opened and she could see that the Commander was waiting with Chief Williams by the ground vehicle.  I believe the humans call it a MAKO?

"Commander, Chief." Liara said politely as she walked over to them.  "I was asked to come down?"

"Liara!  Yes.  I wanted to go over some field ops procedures with you, communications protocol and the like." She gestured at the odd looking device sitting by the cargo bay door. "And I thought we'd check you out on a couple of standard side arms.  Chief Williams is going to help out with that, she's qualified to train on all Alliance small arms."  Chief Williams looked up, surprised and Shepard grinned. "Chief, it may surprise you to learn that of the ship's crew who are qualified range officers, you have the highest small arms score.  I suspect you outpoint me since I tend to fall back on my biotics in a crunch."  The Chief looked as if she were going to speak, then just shook her head and leaned against the MAKO.

Shepard brought up a communications screen on a portable terminal. "Ok, lets start with channels and callsigns..."

\-----

Chief Williams watched the Commander run Doctor T'Soni through the communications protocols and noticed that at the same time she was subtly instructing the Asari on the command structure of the ship, explaining who to call and when as much as how.  Williams had always heard that an officer could be good at their jobs, even great from time to time, but that the very best of the service possessed the ability to pass their skills on to others.  Shepard obviously fell into that later category, and Williams' respect for the Commander climbed a notch.  Now if only I can shake this feeling that there's something off with the Doctor...

A few times in the intervening hour, Williams was called on to help with a point of protocol or to explain how it was used in the field.  It wasn't until later that Williams realized the Commander had been familiarizing Williams herself with the ship's command structures.  Towards the end of the instructions, Williams had gained respect for Doctor T'Soni.  She was attentive and quick to learn, and didn't seem to think the minor points of communications discipline and operations procedure were below her.  To many people she’d worked with over the years had never understood the reason for clear communications.  The separate channels and callsigns weren’t just military arcana, they served the purpose of ensuring clear communication of orders under all conditions.  To a non-com like Williams, a newbie who listened was worth their weight in gold.

Shepard had just finished and gestured to Williams.  The Chief had been trying to think of the best approach and decided that the usual Marine 'kick their ass until they listen' method wouldn't work on the quiet doctor.  So she decided on a more technical approach.  "Ok, Doctor T'soni.  I'm going to presume you have no prior experience, so bear with me if I cover something you feel you know already.  Often similar types of weapon from different races will vary wildly in power and accuracy."  She looked at the doctor until she received a nodded reply.

Williams picked up a Predator pistol from the workbench and extended the grip and heat sink assembly.  "This is the M-3 Predator.  In Alliance service its the lightest of the personal side arms, and from what I understand of typical Asari pistols would be considered a heavy sidearm.  So you see what I mean about the variation in weapons.  This is the latest model with a removable heat sink and tuneable trigger assembly.  The safety is actuated by this stud on the housing."  She turned the pistol on its side and pointed to the indicated control.  "Green indicates the weapon is safe, red indicates ready to fire." She laid the pistol on the table she'd setup as a sort of firing line and brought up the holographic projector they'd arranged by the bay door.

"If you'll step over here Doctor, I've setup a basic marksman target.  I've configured it for a simulation of a total distance of ten meters and loaded the pistol with a simulation pack.  However, while this will prevent hull damage or personal injury, it will not reduce the felt recoil." She stepped aside as the T'soni stepped up to the table. "Please pick up the weapon, keeping the muzzle pointed down range and double check the safety.

T'Soni picked up the pistol, somewhat gingerly and checked the switch, nodding when she saw the green indicator.

"Excellent, now keeping the weapon downrange, grasp the handle with your dominant hand, using your non-dominant hand to brace the weapon."  She watched and noted that the doctor avoided the 'teacup' stance many novices adopted from watching vids, and had assumed a passable imitation of the classic Weaver grip.  "Good, though you will want to unlock your elbows it will help control the recoil."  The doctor adjusted her arms and Williams nodded. "Better.  Now, take aim on the center of the target and trigger one round...

For the next two hours they worked through the basic small arms the ship stocked.  After some trouble with the recoil, she found that Doctor T'Soni had a good grasp of pistols and sub-machine guns.  Shotguns turned out to be dangerous to her and those around her and in the words of the Commander "Dang, doc, looks like the safest place to be is downrange when you have a rifle."

Williams had to admit, the doctor had scored well with the pistol and had actually listened to the advice she'd been given.  That was a step above most new recruits and young officers Williams had worked with.  On top of that, the doctor had been grateful for the training, saying "I appreciate the time you put into helping me today, I know I am something of an unknown as yet on this crew and I am grateful." She was having a harder and harder time not liking the doctor. 

As they finished putting things away, the Commander spoke up.  "Before we all head back up to the crew deck, I wanted to mention this wasn't just procedural.  We're due on Feros in less than twelve hours and I've picked the two of you to accompany me down to the colony."  She chuckled at their expressions. "Yes, I'm sneaky - you are a good trainer Chief, I expected no less, but I also wanted to see how you worked together.  And I'm happy with what I've seen."  She pointed at Williams. "Chief, I'm giving you a very specific directive for this upcoming mission.  You are to shadow Doctor T'Soni, while I am aware that she can handle her own security in most dig sites, in this situation I'm relying on you to ensure her safety.  The possibility we will need her to perform analysis of on site data while we are under fire is very real and Doctor," the Commander looked at T'soni, "If that happens, I need your focus to be on the data.  Let us handle the fighting as much as possible, trust the Chief and follow her lead.  Understood, both of you?"

Williams nodded to T'Soni and looked back at the Commander, "Understood, ma'am."

The Commander nodded and pointed across the bay to the supply officer.  "Doctor, if you'll step this way we'll get you setup with some field gear. I realize we didn't have time for luggage on Therum and I think we have a few spare suits of light armor that will work for you."

 

 


	26. Feros Colony pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Feros mission. Colonists, mutated plant things. Geth. The usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bioware's sandbox, their toys. Hopefully they don't get angry.

Feros Colony

Theseus System

 

Shepard stood on the flight deck behind Joker, watching the displays, giving some thought to the complications that crop up.  The communications tech had been trying to reach the colony since they'd entered orbit, but the colony administrator hadn't responded.  Not a good sign for the mission. Shepard thought.  

There  was good news however, the automated approach beacon was still active and indicated a berth that could accommodate the Normandy.  Since the entire surface of the world was covered in the crumbling remains of a Prothean mega city, dropping in the MAKO seemed unwise. Instead, she’d decided to land the Normandy and use the colony base facilities.  Towers rose randomly from the surface and an unstable lattice of elevated roadways complicated the flight path. She'd been prepared to restrain Joker's flying, however, Joker was still handling the approach with caution.  He guided the Normandy around the towers with none of his usual flourishes, his simple competence a statement itself.

Joker spoke as they cleared another tower.  "Still no response on standard channels, but CIC is picking up signals they're calling consistent with the Geth chatter we saw on Eden Prime.  Looks like it may be a hot landing after all."  He paused.  “Watch yourself out there, I won’t be able to come rescue you this time.  Speaking of that, I think I’d prefer gold to silver.  For my medal, figured you’d write me up for one for Therum.”

“You sure about that?  I write that citation, you end up on a stage listening to politicians and brass give speeches for a couple of hours.” she replied. “In a dress uniform.” she added.

Joker turned in his seat to look at her. “That’s a good point.  So not comfortable.  And they’d probably make me shave too.  Spent the last seven weeks working on this baby, no medal is worth that.”  There was a beep and he turned back to his controls.  "ETA five minutes, Commander."

She nodded, hit her com and spoke briskly.  "Pressley, I want round the clock sentries posted on the airlock.  We have a security situation on the surface."   

"Aye, ma'am.  Two sentries posted to the airlock at all times until further notice." Pressley replied.

She put a hand on Joker’s shoulder. “Stay on the comms, I’ve got a feeling this one’s going to get weird and I’ll feel better with someone monitoring.”

“Aye, ma’am.  Isn’t that something for the XO to do normally?  Not that I’m complaining, got nothing better to do than reports when we’re grounded.” Joker said.

“Yes, however there is a reason, and if you tell anyone your new bunk will be on the outer hull.”  She let go and let a plaintive note creep into her voice. “Its just that Pressly is so boooring.”  She drew out the last word.

Joker laughed.  “Your ‘its not really a secret, everyone else agrees with that’ is safe with me.  Just have to figure out how to work ‘entertain the commander’ into my job description now.”

Shepard grinned back. "Doctor T'Soni and Chief Williams, grab your gear and meet me at the main airlock." She cut her com and headed to the hatch.

\------

The airlock opened with the the usual rush of air, despite the VI’s announcement that pressure had equalized.  As they left the boarding tube they were faced with an expansive, but aged docking bay.  ExoGeni had installed modern docking equipment that made a stark contrast to the worn stone and concrete structure.  Openings in the wall of the bay let in light and air, allowing them to see the ruined city scape surrounding the colony site.  Liara had started to walk down the side of the bay toward a waiting human, and Shepard gestured at Williams and pointed at the human.  Williams nodded and trotted after the asari until she walked just ahead of her.  Shepard fell in on the other side and they made their way into the cooler, darker interior of the bay.

When they reached the man, dressed in generic yellow-brown coveralls, he waved at them and spoke.  “We saw your ship on approach, Fai Dan would like to speak with you immediately.” He pointed to the passage behind him.  Shepard cocked her head to the side, the man’s voice was odd, as if he had to stop every few words to decide what to say next.

“I presume Fai Dan is the colony administrator?” she asked.

“He’s our leader.  He needs your help to prepare for the geth.  They’re making another push.” the man replied pointing to the passage again. “Please.  Up the stairs, past the docked freighter.”

Shepard nodded, “Right, I…”  A streak of light in the air tore into the man’s back, interrupting anything she’d been about to say.  Reflexes took over, she concentrated and energized her barrier while drawing her M-9.  Dammit, I knew the geth were on planet in force.  I should have been more careful.

She fired at the first geth trooper, then dropped into cover behind a pillar and called out, “Liara, stay under cover.  Williams, check our six and then engage anything that looks like it may get past me.”  

Possible responses flickered through her mind, but she settled on the first one.  Sergeant Major Karsten had summed it up once, "Lil, all of the fancy words about lines of attack and kill zones and suppressive fire, it all of that means precisely dick when it drops in the pot.  The best response to an ambush, especially when you don't have complete intel, is to cover your backside and assault through the enemy."  Matching her actions to her train of thought, she dropped a shockwave into the center of the Geth and followed it up by putting another burst into the first trooper she'd fired at.  It went down in a shower of sparks and white fluids.  She counted three more troopers, they'd been staggered by her shockwave and she took advantage of that by dropping a grenade into their midst.

The blast was amplified in the tunnel's confined space, but the pillar had provided an adequate blast shadow for her.  Williams had seen her toss the grenade and gone into cover with Liara.  The Geth troopers had been in the open, with no chance to avoid the blast and fragments.  With their shields already weakened, they'd been torn apart.

Shepard peeked out from cover and surveyed the tunnel.  It appeared that the immediate threat had passed, but there was one way to be sure.  She stood and stepped out into the open, weapon ready, and did a careful visual sweep.  So far, the Mark 1 Eyeball had proved the most effective sensor at their disposal, all of the high tech options built into her armor seemed trivial for the Geth to jam.  Nothing popped out to attack her, and she didn't spot any movement.  "Looks like we're clear."  She bent down to check the colonist who'd greeted them.  He'd been hit more than once and was clearly dead. "Lets go talk to this Fai Dan.  Maybe he can tell us what's going on."

\------

Liara trailed behind the Commander with Chief Williams and noted the careful way both of them watched their surroundings.  It was as if they expected an enemy to materialize from the air or through a solid wall.  Given their experience in the docking bay, their caution did not seem excessive, and Liara tried to emulate their concentration.  She was not entirely successful, the obvious Prothean architecture was distracting and she found herself studying it more than watching it.

As they moved through the open area the colony had setup its pre-fab structures in, Liara watched the Commander stop to greet and speak with many of the colonists.  At first it seemed like she was exchanging pleasantries, but after the second interaction Liara realised that Shepard was gathering information.  By the time they'd crossed the open area, Shepard had gathered information on the colony's current situation, resources and even some idea of the interpersonal relationships binding the colony together.  It was impressive, and a little scary.  It made Liara wonder what Shepard had learned about her from their previous conversations.

She had noticed something else in observing the colonists.  Liara didn't make any claims to great understanding of human interactions and stress responses, but if these colonists had been Asari she'd have found their behavior very strange indeed.  Their speech was hesitant, unlike the humans she had interacted with in the past and on the Normandy, it almost seemed like VI receptionist instead of a person.  They also seemed oddly reluctant to speak about the overall problems facing the colony, reverting to a reference to Fai Dan any time the Geth were mentioned.

"Commander?" she asked, before they had quite reached the alcove that Fai Dan and another human occupied.

Shepard turned raised an eyebrow.  Liara held up her hand, "If you have a moment, I would like to ask you and Chief Williams something."

"Go ahead." Shepard replied, stopping and gesturing for the Chief to step closer.

"I do not wish to seem alarmist, especially as I am no expert, however I must ask about an observation I have made." She paused, watching their expressions.  Both appeared serious and attentive.  "I believe the people of this colony are under some form of external control or duress, outside of the obvious stress from the Geth attacks."

Williams frowned and looked around until the Commander made a small gesture and shook her head.  "I think I agree, but humor me and tell me what you've seen."

Liara was simultaneously happy and worried, happy that she had not imagined the colonists were acting strange.  Worried about what it implied.  "As I said, I am no expert on humans, but compared to your crew and the few I had encountered in my travels before - these colonists seem more like a VI than people.  Almost as if they are pausing to check a script for responses."

The Commander let out a slow breath and smiled tightly.  “I’d hoped I was reading too much into the situation, but that tracks too well.”  She turned to Williams, “Chief, from now until I say otherwise I want you to consider the colonists to be a potential threat. Is that clear?”

“Clear, ma’am.” Williams replied and matched actions to the order by turning slightly to keep an eye on the slowly moving colonists across the field.

“Liara, I want you to keep on gathering your observations.  See if any subject in particular generates a response, maybe we’ll get an idea of where we need to poke around. OK?” the Commander said.

“I understand, Commander.” she replied.

They moved on to where the colony’s leader stood talking to one of his subordinates.  As they approached, the man who other colonists had indicated was Fai Dan, turned to look at them.  When he spoke, his voice was strained.  Liara felt it was more than just stress, it sounded as if he were in some degree of pain.

\-----

“Commander, I’m glad they finally sent somebody to help us.” Fai Dan said.

Shepard started to reply when the woman standing with him spoke up.  “You’re a bit late, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Arcelia!” Fai Dan said sharply, then turned apologetically to Shepard. “Sorry, Commander, everyone’s been on edge since…”

His apology was interrupted by Arcelia’s shouted, “Watch out!  We've got Geth in the tower!”

Fai Dan paled and shouted, “Protect the heart of the colony!” while drawing a pistol.  His companion had unslung an assault rifle and taken cover by a piece of rubble.

Shepard glanced at the HUD icons her suit VI had painted before the Geth jamming had kicked in.  She wasn’t looking for Geth, but at the layout of the tower before them.  As she suspected, the doorway in front of them was the choke point, the only way into the colony.  She clicked the safety off on her Tempest and looked at Williams and jerked her head towards the doorway.  Williams moved to the edge of cover and began to lay down suppressive fire.

“My team will clear the tower.  Fai Dan, stay here and look out for any that might slip around behind us.”  She looked over at her team. “Liara, switch over to your Tempest and stay right on Williams’ six.”

She calmly walked to the edge of the cover provided by the rubble wall and concentrated for a moment, a blue glow filling her left hand.  She stepped around the corner, ignoring the sparkle of fire that came at her, and released the shockwave into the opening.  “Lets move people.” she said, jogging forwards into the doorway.

The Geth troopers in the small room, what seemed to be a landing for stairs and an elevator, had been knocked over.  Shepard put a burst into the first two before the third and fourth had begun to recover their footing.  As she turned to target them, one was hit with a blue wave of biotic energy and slammed into the wall.  Liara lowered her hand as it crumpled like a tin can and the remaining Geth trooper went down under Williams’ rifle fire.  Shepard nodded to her team and led the way down the stairs.

\------

Liara controlled her breathing and swallowed hard as she followed Shepard down the stairs.  The Commander had not blinked when they had destroyed the Geth that had been about to engage her.  She would probably have been prepared to face that fire alone and to be fair would probably have been fine, but also had simply presumed her team would cover her.  Liara realized that she must now be part of a fairly exclusive group, one trusted to cover Shepard's back.  Even more than the Commander’s statement that she trusted Liara, and the Chief’s slowly thawing attitude, this made her situation feel real - that Liara was a part of this group now.

They continued lower into the tower and as they encountered further groups of Geth, the fights paralleled the first.  Shepard or Liara would initiate with a biotic attack to scatter the basic troopers and the team would take the remaining units one by one.  These Geth seemed to be incapable of changing their tactics and Liara presumed they would be on their way back up to the colony proper soon.  She was examining what appeared to be markings denoting environmental controls when that changed.

Shepard was ahead of them, checking a corridor that bent out of view to the left.  Williams was pacing on the landing, clearly eager to move ahead.  Without warning, Liara felt a brutal impact on her back and shoulders as Williams took her to the ground in a flying tackle.  Liara had no time to cry out when the control panel she had been looking at erupted in a shower of fragments from a heavy rifle shot.

Liara reacted, throwing up a barrier to cover herself and Williams, just in time as a second shot disappeared into blue sparks on the shield.  Williams shouted “Sniper!” to Shepard as she pulled Liara around the corner into the corridor Shepard had walked into.  Sensors fuzzed with jamming as the Geth hiding in the corridor sprung their ambush and Shepard came flying over a large stone block that had fallen from the ceiling at some point.  She landed in a clatter of armor and came to a stop.

Shepard grinned with a manic intensity and said, “Noticed that did you?  Williams, I think now would be an excellent time for high explosives.”  She pointed at the corridor beyond the bend. “All three of us, toss one down that hall on my three count...3...2...1…”

Liara fumbled briefly with the heavy device Shepard had dropped into her hand and was just a heartbeat later than the experienced soldiers.  The first two went off almost simultaneously, followed a moment later by  the almost anticlimactic boom from Liara’s.  Smoke and flame, followed by parts of Geth came around the bend and were deflected by the stone blocks they were using for cover.  Williams had not waited for the debris to stop, she had popped up immediately after the explosions began, facing to their rear, and began firing at the presumed location of the sniper.  Her efforts were rewarded with a mechanical noise and spray of hydraulic fluid on the wall as the formerly cloaked Geth Sniper fell.

Even as Williams spun to engage any targets down the corridor, Shepard was up and running.  Liara was not trained like a commando, but even she recognized Shepard’s skill and ability that made the Geth she fought seem like paper cutouts.  Many other soldiers would have probably died.  Later, looking at the records, Liara would later realize that Shepard did not just operate on an entirely different level from other soldiers, she pulled the rest of the team along with her.  Combat efficiency and kill ratios of soldiers under Shepard’s command consistently beat the averages of all the Council races’ elite forces.  As did their survival rates and the rate at which they accumulated awards and rank.  That knowledge would come after the fight however, now she simply acted. Liara rose and moved to cover Williams, following the lead of their commander.

\------

Shepard reflected on the last 18 hours on planet, almost 12 of which had been spent in combat.  They’d traversed much of the ruined city, chasing clues and following up on some of the colony’s immediate needs.  The break had come in the lower levels as they’d traced a water problem and cleared out the Geth that had cut the supplies.  They’d encountered a colonist who, while still afflicted with whatever was controlling Fai Dan and his people, had managed to resist and retain independent action of a sort.  This information, combined with Normandy’s sensor data which placed the primary Geth presence in the ExoGeni headquarters, gave them the first solid target they’d had since hitting dirt.  Joker had been able to give them updates on larger groupings, which had helped, and they'd managed to offload the MAKO to transport them to the ExoGeni tower.

The ExoGeni survivors they’d found confirmed her suspicions that something was going on in that building.  The weasel of a corporate manager made her almost think that ExoGeni was the bigger threat than the Geth.  Or, she thought, maybe its just that he makes my trigger finger itch.  Regardless with more information about the facility and the possibility of a survivor in the daughter of one of the science leads they’d made their way through the suspended highway system toward the ruined tower.  Perhaps this Lizbeth Baynham person could give them some information on conditions further inside the facility.   She could see the Geth command ship, nowhere near the size of the one she’d seen on Eden Prime, latched onto the tower with what could only be described as claws buried in the structure itself.

Shepard grinned as Williams triggered another main gun round from the MAKO.  The Chief was not opposed to using a bigger hammer to smash smaller Geth, even when the coaxial machine gun would have worked.  And Shepard was OK with that given how much the Geth bolloxed up the sensors.  It was one way to be relatively sure you’d pegged the cloaked ones. In fact… she thought and her smile turned feral.  “Chief, we’re coming up on the ExoGeni facility.  I want you to put a saturation pattern of fire into the vehicle bay.  I don’t want to run into another ambush.”

“Aye, aye skipper.” Williams replied with a grin and Liara cocked her head to the side from the communications console.  “Skipper?” she asked.

“Its an informal term for the commander of Naval unit.  Marines use it more these days than the regular Navy.” Shepard replied over a private com channel while Williams began to fire the main gun.  She was happy to hear it in use since that first time in the cargo bay, it felt like the crew was starting to accept her.

Sensors didn’t show any further jamming from the room ahead, not that it meant it was free from danger, and Shepard brought the MAKO to a halt within the structure.  Waving to Williams and Liara, she led the way down the rear ramp into the dimly lit room.

The structure was in better shape here where ExoGeni had completed some renovations and maintenance.  Paint and new concrete clashed with the older Prothean architecture, the engineers who’d done the work had obviously been concerned with function over appearances.  Parking bays for ground vehicles and shuttles were empty, they’d seen a few of them burning on the elevated highway along with several intact vehicles in the perimeter of the survivors.  By Shepard’s count that left several shuttles unaccounted for, but given what she knew of the ExoGeni management the faster and tougher shuttles had been used to evacuate the senior staff offworld.

The main facility doors were locked down and covered by what seemed to be a kinetic barrier.  Since there was no emitter or power source on this side of the door, there was no way to bypass it in any reasonable timescale.  The other obvious corridor into the interior was also covered by a barrier.  This left a ramp that ended in a rough cut hole in the floor, through which they could see some light.  Shepard dropped down lightly and spun in place, taking in the layout.  The hole had likely been cut by the ExoGeni engineers trying to access the tower’s infrastructure, but they hadn’t found what they needed and had simply left the hole when they moved on to other work.

Satisfied that the only immediate danger was tripping on the crumbling concrete rubble, she gestured at Williams and Liara to join her.  “We’re clear for the moment.” she said, straightening from her crouch.  “But watch your footing when you come down.  Looks like no one’s bothered to clean in 50,000 years.”

Williams and Liara didn’t comment as they followed her into the lower level.  There was water here, and some crumbled walls that almost looked more cave like, until you noticed the remaining lighting units.  She could hear a low growling from across the space.  Varren she thought.  “Heads up, sounds like varren.”  She headed uphill away from the pooling water.

Six smaller varren and a larger male, probably a pack leader, charged them out of the shadows.  Shepard sighed, she didn’t really want to kill them.  Apart from the smell, she actually kind of liked varren, they reminded her of the native dog like lizards of Mindoir.  To attack three large creatures like them, they had to be desperate or defending territory.  Either way, it didn’t look like they’d be able to bypass them.  Maybe they could be scared off if the pack leader were killed.

“You two, take the leader.” Shepard said and pointed.  Then she opened her hand, palm towards the charging creatures and did something that she’d only done as a trick before.  In fact, the last time she’d done it had been on Earth and messing with some surfers who’d been bullying some kids.  She shook away the memory and  released a shockwave just under the surface of the water, but ahead of the varren.  The consecutive detonations threw a wave of water with incredible force.  All six of the smaller creatures were knocked off of their feet.

Beside her, she could hear her companions firing at the pack leader.  She left them to deal with it and began firing near the rest of the pack, just now trying to regain its footing.  By the time the pack leader was down the remainder of the pack fled, never having gotten close enough to really endanger the group.

“Up there, skipper, looks like a door.” Williams said, pointing.

Shepard nodded in reply and turned, then stopped and ducked as a small sound registered.  The pistol shot that followed probably would have gone wide even if she hadn’t ducked.  It was accompanied by “Dammit!” from a young woman in an ExoGeni jumpsuit.

The woman lowered the pistol and walked towards them, continuing to speak. “I’m so sorry.  I thought you were geth or varren or god knows what.”

“No harm, no foul.” Shepard replied as she put away her pistol.  “What are you doing down here?”  She looked at the woman for a moment, studying her features. “You wouldn't be  Lizbeth Baynham by any chance?”

The woman looked startled.  “What?  How did you…”

Shepard smiled, “You resemble your mother, she asked us to keep an eye out for you when we told her we were coming this way.”

“She’s alive?  I thought I was the only one left.” Lizbeth sagged in relief. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”

Williams cleared her throat and Liara spoke up, “Commander, I believe Chief Williams is uncomfortable with our remaining in this place for so long.”

“Right, listen Lizbeth, I need to know why the Geth came here and anything else you can tell me about conditions in the rest of the facility.” Shepard said crisply.

“I’m just a research assistant, but I think they might be here for the Thorian.  Its an indigenous plant species, possibly sentient, that ExoGeni has been studying.” Lizbeth said.  There was an odd note in her voice, like she was ashamed.  She continued, “The Geth aren't the only problem however, they've put up energy barriers over the main passages.  I saw the power cables they left when I escaped down here, they've covered every accessible route out of the tower by now.”

“Skipper, they’re probably drawing that power from the ship.” Williams said. “If we can dislodge it, that will kill the barriers.”

Shepard nodded. “Right then, we’ll need to get deep into the facility.  Lizbeth, can you give me the access codes for interior doors?”

“I can do better than that, my access card should open pretty much any interior door you need.”  She handed it over to Shepard.

“Liara, Williams, lets get going.  Lizbeth, sit tight.”  Shepard swiped the young scientist’s keycard and moved through the door into the facility, her team on her heels.

\-------

“Arrgh, stupid machine!” a gravely voice shouted from the top of the stairwell.  Shepard signaled for Williams and Liara to hang back and moved very carefully to the next landing.  She could hear what was likely a Krogan arguing with a VI voice.  Something about encrypted files, the VI was directing the Krogan to speak with a supervisor.

Shepard grinned, she was tempted to just wait and let the Krogan explode from frustration, but she moved stealthily to just behind the mountain of armor and scales.  Williams and Liara had quietly moved up behind her, she made mental note to yell at them later.

“Damn it, tell me what I want to know or I’ll blast your virtual ass into actual dust!” the Krogan yelled.

The VI, with mechanical patience, said. “Please contact your supervisor for a Level IV security exemption.”

“STUPID MACHINE!”

“If there is nothing else, please step aside.  There is a queue forming behind you for the use of this console.” The VI continued, unfazed.

The Krogan whirled, and growled. “Good, I really need to kill someone!”

“Stupid machine.” Shepard said quietly, then she hit the Krogan with a warp field and opened fire with her Tempest.  Williams and Liara also began firing.  The Krogan’s return fire with its shotgun was wearing down her shields, but it was three on one and he was starting to show injuries.

Then it happened, the Krogan lost all control into a blood rage and charged.  Shepard dived to the side, but still caught a Krogan elbow in the back as he passed.  It hurt, a lot actually, and knocked the wind out of her.  She rolled back to her feet, gasping for breath.  She’d lost her Tempest in the fall and without thinking drew her rifle from her back.  She saw the Krogan continue its charge, heading straight for Williams.

The Krogan hit Williams full force, just as she started firing.  There was a flicker as the enemy’s shield went down, then Williams was being thrown against the wall by over 200 kilos of angry.  Williams cried out in pain, but there didn’t seem to be a lot else she could do at the moment.

There was, however, something Shepard could do.  She dropped her rifle, putting it away would have taken too long and flexed her wrists and forearms in a familiar pattern.  Instantly, a cascade of dark energy formed a singularity above and behind the Krogan.  She only hoped she tuned it well enough to avoid picking up Williams too.

As the Krogan rose into the air, screaming in defiance and rage, Shepard yelled. “Liara, warp, NOW!”  

The warp field from Liara hit the Krogan on his left side and, combined with the disruption from the singularity holding him suspended, tore him apart in a spectacular shower of blood and viscera.  The resulting shockwave also knocked Liara and Shepard out cold, throwing them several meters away.

Shepard regained consciousness first, if only because her suit VI administered a stim when it registered the damage.  She shook her head, which turned out to be a mistake, and hit the med overrides dispensing medi-gel and analgesic.  This also had the effect of triggering the medi-gel dispensers in Williams’ and Liara’s suits under her command overrides as well.  She sat up slowly to the sound of the VI.

“ExoGeni Corporation reminds all staff that the discharge of weapons while on company property is strictly forbidden.” the voice was saying.

Shepard walked carefully to where Liara was climbing to her feet and reached out a hand to help.  “Liara, check on the Chief.” She said, turning towards the VI.  It had continued talking while Shepard had walked over.

“Welcome back, Research Assistant Elizabeth Baynham.  What can I do for you?” the VI was saying.  Which seemed odd to Shepard, until she remembered she had the young woman’s access card.  Just like ExoGeni to skimp on the biometric security, she thought to herself, at least it will save us the trouble of hacking the console.

“What’s the status on any internal sensors remaining.  Can you give me positions on the Geth intruders?” Shepard asked.

The VI’s voice carried a hint of apology.  “Geth forces have destroyed or jammed all internal sensors, excepting simple optical sensors covering main entries.  Information on their current positions is consequently unavailable.”

Shepard frowned, she’d hoped that they might have gained a reconnaissance edge.  “Is there an open route out of the tower that isn’t covered by barriers?”  Maybe they could just exfil and nail the tower with the Normandy’s weapons.  Less risky than stooging around in here for hours.

“All entrances and exits are covered by barriers that are not controlled by my internal security systems.  Correction, the Geth ship is attached to an open cargo shuttle dock.  This entrance is not covered by a barrier.” It replied.

So… Williams and Bayham were probably right, the Geth were powering the barriers from their ship. Shepard considered for a moment, cargo shuttle bay… I wonder.  “Can you display an internal map with the cargo shuttle dock highlighted please?”

“Of course Ms. Baynham.” The VI’s humanoid form disappeared and was replaced by a floating hologram of the interior.  There was a blinking icon, indicating the cargo dock.  Shepard issued a quiet command to her suit VI and it copied the map to its internal navigation system.  An arrow appeared on her HUD indicating distance and bearing to the target.

Ok, I’ve got a rough plan for the barriers, I can at least access the tower’s outer surface from the Cargo dock.  Now… why are the Geth here.  They must not have it all, that Krogan was still trying to get…  “What files was the previous user attempting to access?” Shepard asked.

“The previous user was attempting to access classified files on Subject Species 37, also known as the ‘Thorian.”

Shepard inhaled, ExoGeni was experimenting on an alien species.  That could easily interest Saren.  “Thorian?  Please summarize data on Subject Species 37.  Start with any data you gave the previous user.”

“I was unable to assist the previous user as they lacked appropriate security clearances.  Also, data on Species 37 and the research outpost of ‘Zhu’s Hope’ has not been updated in several cycles due to inoperative sensors.”

“How is Zhu’s Hope relevant to the Thorian?”  Shepard asked, but she was starting to get a sick feeling she already knew, based on the behavior of the colonists.  Behind her, Liara was helping the Chief to her feet.  The two of them moved up beside Shepard and she raised a hand before Liara could speak.  She knew the Liara would have several of the same questions she did.

“Species 37 is located in the substructure of the Zhu’s Hope colony site.  The site was chosen to facilitate research with human test subjects.”

Shepard pressed her lips together, she knew the VI wasn’t sentient, but its matter of fact tone somehow made this all the more horrifying.  Liara gasped behind her, she’d apparently made the connection as well.  This had to be what Saren was after, Shepard thought.

“Continue with summary, what is the Thorian.” Shepard asked.

“Species 37, the Thorian, is a structurally simple plant based life form that exhibits sentient behaviors inconsistent with other flora.  Through dispersion and eventual inhalation of spores, it can gain control of other life forms.  Including humans.  Evidence suggests its control mechanism operates through an application of pain to the central nervous system of animals while it receives feedback from the controlled organism’s senses.”  The VI stopped, apparently waiting for further input.

“Shepard, this explains the behavior of the colonists and that poor man we found in the tunnels.” Liara said, then stopped with her expression growing pale for an Asari. She continued quietly, “Goddess, they knew.  They had to know this would happen.  This was not an accident, nor were these volunteers.  This was deliberate…”  She trailed off.

Shepard spoke in a flat tone. “Continue.”

“The Zhu’s Hope control group has yielded excellent results.  Prior to sensors going offline, 85% of the colonists were infected and exhibiting signs of coercion.”  The VI paused again.

“This was an intentional experimental group.” Shepard said.  She was angry, with her background she had a pretty good idea of how the control mechanism worked and exactly how much pain the colonists would be in.

The VI replied, “Indeed.  It was deemed necessary to assess the potential of Species 37 for development.”

“What was ‘my’ involvement with the project?” Shepard asked, hoping the young woman they’d encountered wasn’t involved.

“You are listed as the primary research assistant to the science director of this facility.  Direct involvement with Species 37 was terminated after numerous memos, noted by senior researchers as ‘insubordinate’, were sent to the senior staff and ExoGeni corporate.  Your current assignment is to monitor the biometric data feeds from Zhu’s Hope colonists for irregularities.”

Shepard snorted, at least Baynham wasn’t completely spineless.  She looked at Liara, “Do you have a spare data disk with you?”  Liara nodded, drawing one of the devices from her belt and handing it across.  Shepard slotted it into the console and spoke to the VI, “Copy all data and logs, within my access level,regarding Species 37 and Zhu’s hope to external storage”

“Data transferred.” The VI replied nearly instantly. “Will there be anything else Ms. Baynham?”

“No, I’ve got what I need.” Shepard said, taking the disk.

“Logging you out.”  The VI hologram shut down.

Shepard turned to Williams, “Chief, how bad is it - and don’t make me override your suit and pull a diagnostic.”

“Three cracked ribs, and minor internal bleeding.  And a likely concussion.”  Williams shrugged with a wince. “Not bad considering I got tackled by something five times my size.  The suit has injected medi-gel and is compressing the ribs, the analgesic has already kicked in.  Honestly not much to be done about the concussion until we get me back to the ship.”

Shepard considered the marine and came to a decision. “Make your way back to Ms Baynham, our backtrail should be clear enough.  Stay with her until Liara and I have the barriers down and then make your way to the Mako.  Be ready to roll, I expect we’ll be moving fast when we come out.”

“Skipper, I can…” Williams started then stopped when she saw Shepard’s expression.

“Chief, did I imply my orders were discretionary in some fashion?  If so, allow me to clarify.  My previous directives are a direct order.  Am I perfectly clear?” Shepard did her very best to imitate Captain Anderson’s ‘Do not test me.’ tone with a hint of Matriarch Lidanya’s ‘You’ve already lost this argument’ voice.

“No, I mean yes Ma’am!”  Williams tried to stand to attention, apparently by reflex, but was stopped by her injuries.  She turned and began to move down the stairs slowly without another word.

  



	27. Feros Colony pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the tower fight. There's a Moment. See if you can ID the tropes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still belongs to Bioware. Who I hope watched Bungie's Destiny debacle, compared it to the ME3 experience, and learned lessons for ME4.

**Feros Colony**

**ExoGeni Research Outpost**

 

Liara was staring at Shepard, she could not help it really.  She knew she had not been around humans very much, but even among the peoples she had spent time with, someone shifting personality so completely… It was disconcerting.  Shepard was watching the Chief make her way down the stairs, and when she was gone turned to Liara.

“Sorry about that, I’ve found that from time to time its necessary to remind marines about who’s in charge.”  Shepard said with a humorless smile.  She shook herself and smiled more naturally, retrieving her weapons from the ground.  “Ok, so looks like its just the two of us.  Same rules as before, except I’ll be the one covering you.  Don’t go running off, and if I tell you to do something - I’ll need you to focus on that task and let me worry about everything else.”

“Yes, sorry, I just.. what I mean is... is that what you are always like when you are angry?” Liara asked, covering her mouth with her hand when she realized she had said what she was thinking rather than acknowledging Shepard’s orders.

Shepard laughed and seeing Liara’s expression, quickly spoke. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you exactly.  I wasn’t really angry.  I mean, a little, but mostly I just needed to make it clear to the Chief that I wasn’t interested in heroics.  I needed her to do as she was told.”  Shepard’s expression grew serious. “Trust me, if I’m angry, you’ll be able to tell.  At any rate, ready?”

“Stay behind you, focus on the task and leave the fighting to you.” Liara said and was relieved to see Shepard nod.  They moved down the corridor towards the the far end of the tower and Liara decided to speak up again. “Although, from what I’ve seen so far of the ruins, I’ve been of limited use on this operation.”

“Hmm, we’ll see.” was the reply she received. When no more was forthcoming she decided to try a different track.

“What are your plans concerning the Thorian and the colonists?” Liara asked.

Shepard didn’t reply for a minute as she examined the corridor ahead of them.  Finally she said. “Apart from trying to figure out what happened, why Saren came here, what do you think?”  She stopped and looked directly at Liara.

Her reply came immediately, “We must free them if we are able.  What has happened to them is simply wrong.”  she was surprised at how firm her tone was.

“Well, I suppose its good that I happen to agree with your assessment.” Shepard said and gestured down the corridor.  “Cargo dock is just ahead, up on the next level, stay behind me.  I suspect there will be some Geth between here and there.”

Liara nodded, but didn’t speak.  She did not want to accidentally let it slip that she had no intention of staying behind Shepard.  Only a few meters farther down the passage, it turned out well that she had stayed closer to Shepard than would have been thought wise.  Several Geth troopers had managed to evade their sensors by remaining powered off until they dropped down around them.  Had Liara stayed back, she would have been separated by two of the Geth.

She concentrated on her barrier as the Geth opened fire, turning to face the ones that had dropped in behind them.  Her Tempest felt like too small of a tool for this job, but she began firing anyway.  She found herself clearly remembering what Chief Williams had told her in the cargo bay.  “Short, controlled, bursts.  The Tempest is good for knocking down shields, and frankly Geth aren’t worth crap once their shields go down.”

Shepard was facing the other direction and Liara could hear the louder, sharper notes of the larger rifle she carried.  Always in bursts of two or three shots, but so close together it sounded as if it were continuous fire.  Liara tried to imitate the movements she’d seen Shepard and Williams make in previous firefights, and felt rewarded when one of the Geth’s shots missed her shields completely and her fire didn’t.  She continued firing, throwing a warp field when she saw the second Geth lose it’s shield.  It felt like an eternity, but finally both were down and while her barrier had fallen, the armor’s shields had held and she was uninjured.  Remembering Shepard’s lesson’s on protocol from before, she spoke tentatively into the sudden silence.  “Clear?”

"Clear.” came a crisp, almost automatic, reply from Shepard.  Who then turned to Liara, and put her hands on her hips.  “I believe I told you to stay back?”

“I did not believe leaving you uncovered would help our chances.” Liara said.  It was close enough to the truth.  She did not quite know how to say that for the first time in her short life, she believed she understood the mentality of a soldier.  Why Chief Williams had wanted to continue despite injury.  You did not leave your team, your… what was the human word… comrades, in a fight.

Shepard sighed.  “The only reason I’m not yelling is the fact that you were right.  That might have gone very badly under other circumstances, but this time you made the right call.  So…” she looked up at the ceiling for a moment shaking her head. “Goddess help me, I’m relying on an archeologist for backup.”  She looked back down at Liara.  “You cover our rear arc, if its behind me its your responsibility unless I tell you otherwise.  Don’t worry about what’s in front, I don’t even want you watching the frontal arc at all.  Understood?”

Liara nodded, “Understood.”

“Let me say one more thing.  If you disobey another directive, or put yourself at excessive risk I swear I will sedate you and stuff you in a closet until this is all over.  Believe it.” Shepard said in a voice of hammered iron. “I will run this solo before I let you get hurt or killed doing something stupid.”

“I understand.” Liara said.  I understand, and I won’t do anything that might make you leave me behind. she didn’t say out loud.

Shepard nodded, “Let’s go.” she said, and turned to walk up the next flight of stairs.

 

As they walked, Liara could see several large intrusions of Geth machinery into the tower’s wall.  The attachment points looked like what could only be described as claws and Liara idly wondered how something so spindly was holding the Geth ship.  It could not be easy to maintain the ship’s position.  She did not notice she had stopped until she felt Shepard’s hand on her shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Shepard asked.

Liara pursed her lips and pointed  at the claw. “Shepard, I am wondering how something so small - even with modern materials - is holding something the size of a frigate to the side of the tower.  The stresses must be enormous.”  She stopped, a thought occurring to her.  Excited, she turned to Shepard.

 

“I have an idea…”

“I have an idea…”

 

They both stopped and Liara was seized by an urge to giggle, which she stifled and finally spoke.  “I suspect we are thinking the same thing.  How can we dislodge one of the claws?  If we can..”

“If we can, the whole ship will fall right off the side of the building, taking their power source with it.  The barriers will go down, and we’ll be on our way.”  Shepard finished the thought.  “Its a good idea, better than my original one of climbing outside and infiltrating the ship, but we lack explosives.  Still, lets see what the cargo dock has.  I can do a neat trick with a shuttle fuel cell if they’ve left one lying around.”

“Do they teach all Alliance soldiers how to blow up equipment?” Liara asked, watching their rear as they moved up the stairs.

The chuckle, and answer, came over her earpiece.  Shepard had sealed her helmet and was using the suit coms.  Liara activated her filter mask and microphone when she heard it.  “Well, yes.  However, this came from personal experience when I was a fairly young girl.  It turns out high caliber bullets are bad for hydrogen reservoirs.  Who knew?”

Liara surprised herself with a laugh of her own. “You will have to tell me that story sometime.”

“I’m looking forward to it… crap hold up.” Shepard’s voice was flat. Liara was starting to identify it with either anger or intense thought, the second seemed more likely.  Unwilling to end up sedated in a closet, Liara obeyed, stopping and continuing to watch the corridor they were in.

Shepard was humming a tune over the radio.  Liara was not a music connoisseur.  Many Asari tended towards choral works or the polar opposite in the form of electronic club music, and both held no appeal to her. The last music she’d actually enjoyed was a simple piano piece a fellow researcher had taught her during a storm.  This was different, it was almost atonal as if she was only hearing part of the music and the rest were in Shepard’s head, which engaged the puzzle solving part of her mind.  Then it got stranger, Shepard started singing softly.

Liara glanced over her shoulder and saw Shepard deploy a truly ridiculous rifle from its stowed form, all while not breaking the tune.

“All at once, not a whisper, nor word.

Then all at once...

Let me have it all, let me have a battle on,

Easy target, Look can we just...just get it over with.

It's getting worse, against all the odds… It's getting worse.”

Shepard stopped singing and drew in slow breath, “Liara, when I fire, all hell is going to break loose.  Empty your sidearm into anything coming up to this landing,  then switch guns and keep firing.  Don’t worry too much about accuracy, just don’t hit me and concentrate on keeping your barrier up.”  She took another breath and then the rifle let out a deafening noise.  Followed by a mechanical ratcheting noise and a second shot. Liara had started firing almost immediately after the first shot, Geth were attempting to swarm up to the walkway at the end of the corridor they’d come down.

\-----

Shepard ignored the chatter of Liara’s Tempest, even though she was effectively firing just past Shepard’s head.  Liara was doing what Shepard had told her to do, which meant Shepard could concentrate on trying to take down the Geth Prime that was hanging out in the area in front of them.

Her first two shots had taken down its shields and staggered it, she was hoping it would be unsteady long enough for her to…  her finger tightened on the trigger and the rifle bucked.  The shot had come without conscious thought, as the best ones always did.  She didn’t wait to see if it hit, she just trusted her instincts and jacked another heatsink into place.

The Prime went down with 15mm hole in its primary cortex, its self destruct protocols activating and blowing several smaller Geth to pieces.

Shepard resumed singing quietly as she punched a round through a rocket trooper who was lining up shot.  “Guard down, floor's yours, last man standing can we, just get it over with.”

She switched to her M-7 and rose to her knee.  “Been one of those days”  She put a burst into a Geth sniper, trying to hop onto the wall over them.

“Safety first, don't push, don't push me…”  Turning she threw a shockwave down the stairs and followed it by picking off another trooper.

“What's the hurry? Cause there's one nerve remaining”  She slammed the rifle’s butstock into the head of a Geth that had tried climbing up to them.

Liara had dropped her overheated Tempest and had begun firing her pistol.  When she saw Shepard rise to her feet, she moved to the side and kept up a steady stream of fire down at the remaining few Geth.

“Waiting on one look one look now…”  She dropped a singularity on the two remaining Geth troops.  They died almost immediately, whether from the gravitational shearing or bullets was hard to say.

“Clear.” Shepard said.

 

Liara, breathing a bit heavily, vented the heatsink on her pistol.  “Clear.” she said in reply.

Shepard stowed her rifles and stepped over to pick up Liara’s Tempest.  She held it out to the woman who was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. “What?” Shepard said when she saw Liara’s expression.

“You were singing over the comms.” Liara said.

“Ah, that.  I forgot I left the channel open.”

Liara shook her head, Shepard could see there was a question she wasn’t asking.  She opened her mouth and then reconsidered.  “So, what was that song?  It seemed almost appropriate to the circumstances.”

Shepard could tell it wasn’t the question she wanted to ask, but that was fine by her.  It would take too long to explain her need to stop thinking sometimes, to let muscle memory take over, which the music helped with. “Its from Old Earth, an artist called Imogen Heap. I’ll have to play it for…”  her voice tailed off as she noticed the cargo dock doors.  Those hydraulics are massive… I wonder.

“Shepard?  Is something wrong?” Liara asked from behind her.

“What do you think the shearing strength on that claw joint is?” Her mind was running ahead of her and she almost didn’t hear Liara answer that she had no idea.  

Shepard looked at the console and noticed a maintenance note regarding an overpressure condition, and grinned evilly.  “I think we’re about to find out, Liara.”  

Liara looked at her.  “And how will we do that?”

“Step over to the other console, watch the pressure meter.  When it spikes into the red, hit the main hatch control, just there.”  Shepard pointed as she spoke.

“What will happen then?” Liara asked with exaggerated patience.

Shepard grinned again, “We introduce the Geth to a five hundred year old scientist named Blaise Pascal…  Now Liara!”

Liara looked at the console, and it seemed that caught the spike just in time, slamming her hand on the control.  The entire room shuddered as the hydraulics were pushed past their designed tolerances.  The rest happened too fast to watch and, at any rate, Shepard and Liara were unable to observe as the pipes behind the console failed catastrophically just .4 seconds into the event.  Luckily that was enough for Shepard’s plan, the dock door slammed upwards with terrible force. It sheared through the Geth ship’s landing claw as if it were tissue paper, neatly detaching one of the primary load bearing supports keeping the Geth vessel stable.  Simultaneously the hydraulic system suffered a catastrophic failure, which was fortunate as it turned out as this kept the fluid and debris from hitting either of them with anything fast enough to puncture their armor.

With a tearing sound of tortured metals that was almost organic, the Geth ship began to fall.  Trailing behind it were the cables that had been powering the barriers, which disappeared with a pop of dissipating energy.  None of this registered on Shepard’s mind as while this was happening, both of them having been tossed aside by the force the failing pipes.  Shepard landed on Liara, in a tangle of limbs and debris.

 

Shepard shook her head and looked down at Liara, who was staring at her with a shocked expression.  She hit the stud that retracted her helmet asked, “You OK?”

“I believe I am fine.” Liara said after the initial surprise had worn off. “However, um..” Her eyes flicked down taking in Shepard still on top of her.

“Oh! ” Shepard about to roll to the side.  The god Murphy and his chosen prophet Perversity, chose that moment to even the score for her amusement at Garrus on the Normandy when it dropped about a liter of grease and fluid from the door mechanisms onto the back of her head.  She’d managed to close her eyes, but the fluid had pretty well covered her hair and was working around to her face. She opened her eyes to find herself still face to face with Liara, less than a foot away, grinning.  Shepard grinned back at the absurdity, the moment grew into seconds and she felt an urge to lean down.  Instead, she abruptly rolled away and sat up.  She bought some time by clearing the gunk from her face and hair as much as she was able with a mechanic’s cloth she grabbed from the floor.

Ok, there was definitely a moment there.  Get a grip, and stop thinking about gripping her.  First, we’re in a combat zone and kissing her is not something I should be thinking about.  Second, I’ve known her less than a week. Its not like I’m in… oh god… now is not the time to realize things like this.  My life is not a romantic comedy and I do not fall in… in whatever this is at just a look.  She could feel her brain spinning in tighter circles on this line of thought.  OK this is crazy, I need to say something, not sure what...

“Liara, we need to talk…” Shepard began.  She was saved from figuring out what to say just then by the interruption of a comm signal from Joker.

“Commander?  Finally, Geth jamming is down!  Commander, are you receiving?  We have a situation here.” Joker’s voice was just a little over the border into anxious.

Shepard stood and offered a hand to Liara, almost forgetting what she’d been thinking about.  Almost, meaning not at all really.  “Joker, what’s going on?”

“Its like a zombie cannibal monster movie outside the ship, Commander.  The colonists have gone completely crazy, they’re banging on the hull and trying to claw their way in.  The sentries only barely managed to clear the ramp and close the dock doors.” Joker’s voice had a note of not quite panic.

“They can’t do any real damage.  We’re on our way out and I believe we know what’s affecting them.  Hold your position until you hear from me.” Shepard said.

Joker’s reply was hesitant. “Uh… roger that.  We’ll just stay here.  With the crazy people pounding on the hull.”

Shepard cut the comm without replying and looked at Liara.  “I’m pretty sure that the tower is clear at this point.  Just in case I want you to stay behind me, but we’re going to make this a fast run back to where we parked.”  She changed her com channel and activated it. “Chief?  Status?”

“I’ve joined up with the Lizbeth and we’ve got the MAKO ready to roll.” Williams reply was fast, she’d obviously been ready for a while.

“Good, we’re done here and headed back.  We’ll swing through the bunker where the ExoGeni people are to drop our passenger and head back to the colony.  A situation has developed with the colonists.”  Shepard said, already moving for the stairs with Liara trailing in her wake.


	28. Feros Colony pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the mission that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends...
> 
> Dealing with an ExoGeni weasel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bioware's toys. We're just borrowing them.

**Feros Colony**

**ExoGeni Outpost/Bunker**

 

Liara watched Shepard as they made their way back to the MAKO.  She was only 106 and she had only had one somewhat unsatisfying relationship in school, but she felt certain that there had been a moment in the cargo area.  A moment where she felt certain Shepard had wanted to kiss her.  Which seemed silly, they had known each other for less than a week.  Also, they were in a combat situation, so Shepard could not have been thinking anything of the sort… right?  Certainly not about her, it was ludicrous,  a soldier and hero like that would not possibly be interested in her.  She chewed her lower lip, a habit she’d acquired in school when she was unsure of an answer to a problem.  Her line of thought carried her almost into Shepard’s back as they walked and she tried to pay more attention.

 She was still going over events in her mind when they reached the MAKO a few minutes later.  Being able to take the direct route had helped.  They climbed into the compartment and Shepard gave Williams the order to head back to the ExoGeni outpost, but to take it slow.  Liara thought she was going to say something, to continue the “we need to talk” from earlier.  However she while she looked at Liara for a long moment, she shook herself and began to interrogate Lizbeth regarding the Thorian.

 “I didn’t have anything to do with that project, I can’t tell you anything you don’t know already…”  Lizbeth’s voice trailed off.  

 Shepard was holding up Lizbeth’s access card and the data chip they’d transferred the Thorian files to.  When she spoke, her voice was cold.  “Someone’s lied to us, and I don’t appreciate it.  ExoGeni has deliberately used the colonists as unwilling test subjects.  And from what I can tell, with no way to know if they could counteract the effects or that they would even try.”

Lizbeth’s shoulders sagged as she spoke, “I tried, I really did, but I was afraid they were going to ship me away or -worse- make me a test subject.  I had to at least pretend to give in.  Just so I could try to keep the colonists safe.” She swallowed and spoke faster.  “When the Geth attacked, I tried to contact Colonial Affairs, but the signal didn't make it out before we lost power.  I… I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“I believe you.”  Shepard’s tone had softened. “And I’ll help the colonists if I can, but you need to tell me how to get to the Thorian so I can do that.”

“Getting to the Thorian  isn't  going to be easy, the first thing it does with its… thralls I suppose, is to protect itself.  The Thorian is under the colony, but they’ve blocked the entrance with a freighter.”  Lizbeth said.

Liara sat up straighter, the information clicked and suddenly a bigger picture became apparent.  “Shepard, Saren’s actions make no sense if all he wanted was the mind control capabilities of the Thorian.  The pattern of attacks is too strong for an attempt to capture, he is attempting to destroy the colony.  This implies he has already obtained what he wanted.”  She paused.  “I would think if he still wanted the Thorian’s capabilities he would be trying to preserve it.”

Shepard nodded.  “You’re right.  He’s obviously gotten what he came for.  And we have to find out what that was.”  She turned back to Lizbeth. “You were a part of the research, any other thoughts on what Saren might have wanted?”

Lizbeth looked thoughtful and nodded after a moment. “If you eliminate mind control, the only other possibility is information.  The Thorian is thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of years old.  It was here when the Protheans built this city.”

 “That makes sense, Shepard.” Liara said. “Direct observation of the Protheans would tell you many things you cannot learn from artifacts and records.  I would have gone to great lengths to obtain such information in my own research.  It seems likely this is connected to the beacon you found in some fashion.”

 “Ok, I think we've finally got a good idea on what Saren wanted from this rock.  And if Saren wanted it, we need to know what information the Thorian had, so that means we have break through and get to it.  Without destroying it.”  Shepard looked, not nervous, but uncomfortable.

 It took Liara a moment, but she believed she understood what about that made Shepard uncomfortable. “Shepard, the colonists will fight, they will not have any choice.  And I think, neither will we.  If we are to determine what Saren learned and apply it to stopping him and my Mother.”

 “I get that, Liara, its just that…” Shepard was cut of but the comm system.  Liara remembered that it would automatically reconnect to previous networks and it seemed they’d come within range again.

 A woman’s voice came over the speaker.  “Baynham...Shepard….need to warn...Geni...colony... “  The transmission was broken, but getting stronger.  

 “What are you doing?” It continued a moment later, now a male speaking, harsh with tension. “Get her away from that radio!”

 “That’s my mother!” Lizbeth exclaimed. “What’s going on?  We have to hurry!”

 -----

 The MAKO had barely stopped when Lizbeth flung herself from the personnel hatch.   Shepard shook her head and looked at the Chief.  “Williams, I need you to stay here.  Keep in touch with Joker.  Relay to me if the situation with the ship or colonists gets worse.  It looks like we’ve gotta make a stop.”

 She turned to Liara, “I want you to keep an eye on me, look at my reactions.  I’ve got a feeling this is going to go sideways on us with that ExoGeni weasel and the rent-a-thugs, but I’m going to try to keep the peace..  If starts to go badly, I’ll signal you.  Watch my hands, and where I’m looking.  If it comes to a fight, I’ll be relying on you to buy me the time to get to my guns.”

 “Shepard, I… I am not sure I “ Liara started to say.

 Shepard interrupted. “Liara, you had my back with the Geth.  This is no different, I know you’ll have me covered.”  Liara looked unsure and Shepard shook her head. “Look, they’re going to think I’m the danger.  All eyes, and consequently guns, will be pointed at me.  They won’t even see you, I hope.  That will give you the best opening shot if it comes to it.  Just trust your instincts and watch for my signal.  OK?”

 Liara apparently decided to let it go and simply nodded, closing her mouth.

 Shepard led the way down the corridor to the bunker, and as they approached they heard a heated argument in progress.

 “You can’t do this, Jeong!” Dr. Baynham was shouting.  And from their position in partial cover outside the bunker, Shepard could see Jeong and Baynham pacing as they argued.  There were twenty or so other employees trying hard to look inconspicuous off to the side.

 Jeong shouted back, “Everyone…, everyone just shut up.  I need to think…”

 “You won’t get away with it, you have to know that!” Baynham had lowered her voice, trying to reason with Jeong.

 “Get her out of here.” Jeong yelled, his voice rising in pitch.  He gestured at two of the hired ExoGeni guards.  They moved in on Dr Baynham.

 Lyzbeth shouted, “No! Get away from her you son of a bitch.” and ran out into the bunker.  Shepard cursed quietly under her breath, that stunt had likely…

 “Lysbeth!” Dr Baynham exclaimed as her daughter ran to her.  She shook off the guard who had been holding her arm.

 Jeong cursed loudly.  “Dammit, all of you, out where I can see you!”

 Shepard looked at Liara and said in a low tone, “Ok, I’ll go out first.  You follow, just like we discussed.”

 Liara’s response was a shaky nod.  

 Shepard rose and raised her hands, walking out into the room.  Four guards were in view.  Two behind Jeong, one in front of him still reaching out towards the Dr.  The last was meters in front of her, just outside hand to hand range.  While she’d been mentally cataloging the opposition, Liara had quietly walked out behind her.  Jeong was starting to speak.

 “Shepard, dammit, I knew it was too much to hope that the Geth had killed you.” He chuckled, a note of hysteria in his tone when he continued.  “I found some interesting things about you in the ExoGeni database.”  He stepped over to Dr Baynham, and with a speed you didn’t normally expect from a bureaucrat, put a gun to her head.  “I know what you did on Elysium and Torfan.  If you try to be a hero here, people are going to die.”

 “Jeong, what are you doing?” Shepard asked.  She lowered her hands some, but kept them in view.  “There’s no need for any of this, no one needs to be hurt.”

 Jeong snorted, “Communications are up.  ExoGeni headquarters wants this place purged.  Nothing linking us left behind.”

 “This is a human colony, Jeong!  You can’t just repurpose us like you can the equipment!” Lyzbeth shouted.

 “It’s not that simple.  There are things here, more valuable than a few colonists and the company wants those things.” Jeong said.

 Shepard decided to show a few of her cards.  “Species 37, the Thorian.  Do you want to tell them about the experiments or should I?”

 “I don’t understand.” Dr Baynham said.

 “Species 37 is a form of telepathic life, it exhibits characteristics unusual for a plant and has mind controlling capabilities.” Lyzbeth said, then ran a hand through her hair and continued in a low tone. “And ExoGeni placed the colony of Zhu’s Hope right over it to run unsanctioned experiments on the colonists.”

 Dr Baynham snorted, ignoring the gun to her head. “And you’re just going to clean up this mess to preserve the product, aren’t you Jeong?  You know there’s no way this will say buried, you’ll be the one they hang it on.”

 Crap, Shepard thought, she’s pushing him too hard.  If he doesn’t think he has a way out…  I don’t think I’m going to be able to talk our way out, I think I’m going to need that diversion.  She went over what she could see and had an idea.  There was a console, a fairly large one, right behind two of the guards, and Jeong…  She lowered her left hand to her side and kept her right out in a placating gesture.  Lets hope Liara sees this, she thought and caught Liara’s eyes with a sideways glance, then looked at the console with a slight flick of her chin.  “Lets stay calm.” she said.

 Liara’s eyes widened slightly and she pressed her lips together before raising one eyebrow.  Shepard heaved a mental sigh of relief that the signal had gotten through and started curling her left hand, one finger at a time.  5...4…

 Jeong hadn’t noticed the interplay and was continuing to speak.  “Only if there are any stories other than mine!”  He turned to look at the other guard.  3...2…

 Shepard clenched her left fist and Liara hit the console with a powerful biotic field, pulling it towards them.  It struck the two guards behind Jeong with bone shattering force, and slowed by that impact, crashed into Jeong.  His gun went flying as he and Dr Baynham were sent to the floor.  Shepard had started moving when she clenched her fist, trusting Liara to do her part.  Instead of trying to go for the guard off to the side, she dove toward the one who’d originally held Dr Baynham.  He’d drifted just a little too close to her and now he paid for that as her flat, diving tackle took him across his midsection before he could raise a weapon.

 She got an arm around the guard’s neck and pulled him in front of her as they rolled.  WIth her free hand she ripped her pistol from its stowed position and raised it to track on the last guard.

 Liara looked a bit pale, for an Asari, but had drawn her Tempest and was pointing it in the direction of the downed guards and Jeong.

 Everyone froze in that position for a moment.  The guard that Shepard held had struggled until he realized that she was actually, thanks to her Marine enhancements, stronger than him and he’d quickly buy himself a broken neck if he continued.

 From her position on the floor Shepard spoke.  “Jeong, order your people to stand down.  I don’t want to, but I will kill you if you make me.  As a Council Spectre, I don’t need evidence or a trial, and no one will ever even question it.”

 Jeong was groggy, and you could see the fight drain out of him. “Fine, you win, I won’t die for the company.  Everyone stand down.”  He laid down flat and put his hands behind his back.  Shepard was struck by the humorous thought that he’d likely been arrested before.

 Shepard took the flex cuffs from the belt of the guard she’d been holding and secured him.  “Liara, keep them covered while I secure them.”  They didn’t know that Liara was inexperienced.  Based on what the corporate guards had seen, she was just as dangerous as Shepard.  She used that to keep them in line while she moved around the room, securing the guards and Jeong.  One of the guards was dead, his neck snapped by the impact of the console.

 That task complete, she helped Dr Baynham to her feet.  “Doctor, will you and the others be alright for now?  I have to move on the colony and get to the Thorian.” she asked.

 “Yes, I think so.  Communications are up, we can contact the Alliance and ExoGeni.  They’ll want to keep this quiet - we may even keep our jobs.” Dr Baynham said, a slight chuckle at the end.

 Lyzbeth stepped forward, “Commander!  You know what will happen, the Thorian will force the colonists to fight.  You can’t just go in…”

 “I don’t really have a choice, Ms Baynham, not only do I need the information - I can’t leave a hostile alien lifeform to simply infect anyone it comes across.” Shepard said.

 “Maybe you won’t have to fight them…” Dr Baynham said thoughtfully.  “Am I right in assuming this is some form of infection in the central nervous system of the hosts?”

 “Yes.” Lyzbeth replied, then her eyes narrowed. “Of course, they’re compromised - weakened.  We should be able to knock them out without killing them.”

 Shepard raised a hand, “That’s a good thought, but riot control and non-lethal items aren’t standard Marine issue.”

 Dr Baynham shook her head. “Won’t need them.  We have an agent we used for pest control and to euthanize lab animals.  Its not powerful enough normally to affect something the size of a human, but with their compromised CNS it should paralyse them - temporarily.”

 “So, you want me to nerve gas a colony?” Shepard asked.

 “If you want to avoid killing them, yes.” Dr Baynham replied.

 Lyzbeth spoke up. “We can rig some grenades and even put a couple of cannisters on your MAKO.  It really is the best option to avoid killing them all.”

 “Alright.”  Shepard keyed her com. “Ash, get down here, we need to rig up some mild nerve gas grenades…

Number 127 on the list of things they don’t - but should teach at the academy, she thought to herself. 


	29. Feros Colony pt 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home Stretch for Feros, I promise.
> 
> Spacing is changing due to a copy/paste oddity and the Rich Text editor.

**Feros Colony**

**ExoGeni Outpost/Thorian Chamber**

 

Shepard was cautiously optimistic that they’d get through this without killing any innocent people. The trip back to the colony had been far shorter than the rolling fight they'd engaged in on the way out. The roads had been clear, apparently the Geth had pulled out or gone inactive when their ship had been disabled.  The gas grenades had worked like a charm and the hostile colonists they’d encountered had gone down without serious injury.  Chief Williams had been forced to hit one persistent and large man with the butt of her rifle, but he’d been breathing when they left him.  The only serious resistance had come from some… things that had to be what the Thorian though humanoid life looked like.  They seemed to be mobile colonies of fungus and inorganic material, basically dirt.  Dangerous enough if you got caught by one, but not very resistant to high velocity fire.

 

 

Later Shepard would reflect on that thought and how it had probably been a violation of some kind natural law.  One of the variants of the classic attributed to Murphy. This would occur to her since right after thinking it, Fai Dan came stumbling from around the console controlling the shipping crane. He was in obvious pain, staggering, and waving a pistol. Ashley's rifle snapped into position, only a hair faster than Liara's pistol Shepard noted, and she waved them both back. “Fai Dan, stand down. We're here to help you, we know you're being controlled...”

 

Fai Dan's grunt of mixed laughter and pain interrupted her. “I know what you're doing, you may still be able to do what I couldn't – take care of my people. Its too strong, I can hear it – it wants me to destroy the console...” He turned towards the crane console and raised the pistol. “I may not have been able to protect my people,, but I can help you...” He let out a scream of pure agony and turned the pistol on himself before any of Shepard's team could react. The weapon's crack cut off his scream and there was silence.

 

Shepard's fist hit the prefab wall with a noise that was almost explosive. “Dammit.” she said softly, deactivating the gas grenade she hadn't quite reached in time.

 

“Skipper...” the Chief's voice fell silent. Shepard felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Liara standing there. She didn't speak, simply squeezed Shepard's shoulder and nodded at the crane console dropping her hand to her side.

 

Straightening, Shepard turned to face the Chief. “Chief, don't think I've forgotten that concussion. Fai Dan gave us the gift of time, I intend to use it. We're going to get you back to the ship, and Dr Chakwas, before we go down there.” She started walking back towards the dock without checking to see if she was followed. She primed the grenade as she rounded the corner.

 

She heard the hurried steps behind her, but she didn't slow, she paused briefly at the head of the boarding ramp where she could hear pounding on the hull still. With a smooth motion, she rolled the gas grenade down the boarding access and counted to five. There was a muffled thud and a hissing noise. Moments later it was followed by thumps as the colonists who'd been attempting to gain entry collapsed. She turned into the ramp as the Chief and Liara caught up to her. “Joker, this is Shepard. External access is clear, have Dr Chakwas meet Chief Williams in sickbay and ask her to prepare a team to help check on the condition of the colonists.” She cleared the channel without waiting for an acknowledgment and punched the access code for the ship's main hatch. She let the VI switch for her when she keyed her radio again. “Wrex, I need you at the main access – I think this next part will suit your skill set perfectly.

 

–----

 

Chief Williams had taken a look at Shepard's expression and simply nodded and headed inside. While they waited on Wrex, Shepard keyed orders to detail a security team to be led by Alenko and Garrus. She left orders to secure the colonists and keep an eye on the medical team, and to unpack some of the ship's disaster stores. A frigate didn't carry the same compliment of personnel or supplies that a larger vessel did, but what they did have they'd leave. They could make a supply run when they left anyway. By the time she'd finished giving her orders, Wrex had arrived and looked ready for a fight. He'd taken the time to add a rifle to his usual heavy shotgun and a grenade bandolier had appeared on his belt.

 

“Wrex, originally this was a tag and bag – we needed information more than anything else.” Shepard paused and Wrex grinned. “And, probably to some amount of disappointment for you, I still need data.” Wrex started to frown. “However, once I have that data, or if it becomes apparent that I cannot get the information I need without excessive risk, the gloves come off. On my signal... “ She paused again and Wrex nodded. “ And not before, this will become a search and destroy. Nothing of this creature is to be left alive, I don't care what ExoGeni or anyone else wants. I won't have anyone else killed by this thing.” Her voice was flat, angry as she finished.

 

“Hah. More like it.” Wrex replied, smacking his fists together. “We'll get it done Shepard.”

 

“Liara” Shepard turned to look at her. “Wrex is going to be the heavy on this. He'll go first and goddess help what's in his way. You'll stay right at my side. I'll cover you this time. Keep an eye out for anything that could be the information we need, and let me know the moment you have it.”

 

The Asari looked worried, but nodded.

 

–----

 

When they reached the main colony level and the crane that would provide access to the tunnel system, the scene was much different than before. Normandy crew were already moving around the area, flex cuffing colonists and settling them on stretchers or back into their own beds in some cases. Alenko was standing with a Marine near the tower entrance and he nodded at Shepard and then returned his attention to the passage. Garrus stood near the crane console, and gave a respectable Alliance style salute when she approached. She returned it and noted, with mild amusement, that Garrus had taken her seriously and had replaced the C-Sec and Turian insignia on his armor with an Alliance Lieutenant's bars and a Normandy ship patch. “Taking it seriously I see, Garrus.” Shepard said, stopping at the console.

 

“XO Pressley's idea, actually, and I agreed with it. While I'm aboard the Normandy, people need a visible reminder.” He chuckled. “I even think Tali's got a Normandy engineering patch on her environment suit now.”

 

Shepard nodded, impressed that Presley had come that far in accepting the non-human crew. “If you would LT, it seems there's a plant in the tunnels that needs to be pruned.”

 

“Aye, ma'am.” Garrus replied and hit the controls to raise the parked freighter. As the crane lifted the ship out of the way, he continued. “We'll keep things clear up here.”

 

“Wrex?” Shepard asked and gestured towards the tunnel.

 

The answer was a rumble of deep laughter as the huge Krogan moved into the darkness. Shepard sighed, then they followed.

 

–----

 

The concrete of the colony's crudely installed support systems gave way to the fused stone fixtures of the ancient Prothean city. Intertwined with the stone structure and alloy conduits, were tendrils of roots that grew into a vast network of branching plant material. Some of it at least a meter in diameter, Shepard estimated. Wrex moved confidently down the tunnel, stopping every 25 meters to wait for Shepard and Liara. He looked around, apparently noting the vulnerable nodes in the structure of the plant, but true to Shepard's order hadn't fired on any of the nodes even when they'd dripped on him.

 

Eventually they came to what had to have once been a central air shaft, or maintenance passage. A cavernous space, surrounded by a sloping spiral of passages and side tunnels, pipes and vents. Suspended from more of the meter thick branching roots, was a huge mass of plant or fungal material. It was pulsing, almost like a heart, and liquid dripped from various places. Liara was scanning with her omni-tool and looked fascinated, the very picture of a scholar. Wrex fidgeted, he obviously was nervous with the unknown this creature presented and the reflexes of a warrior he was looking for the threat – for something to fight. Shepard felt it too, something was seriously wrong here. There should have been some kind of resistance on the way in and every sense was screaming that a threat loomed.

 

Slowly, a structure unfolded from the main mass. It looked like a fever dream blend of a vine and an insectoid ovipositor and they backed away instinctively. Shepard raised a hand to prevent Wrex from opening fire on it. As it reached the level of the platform they stood on, it pulsed and a humanoid creature was ejected from it in a rush of clear viscous liquid. Slowly the figure unfolded itself from the fetal ball it was in and stood. At first glance it could have been a relative of Liara. The Asari bone structure and cranial features were distinctive. The green skin was the first sign that something was seriously wrong. As the creature stood, the liquid dried and other differences became apparent. The armor looked like normal Asari commando issue, patterned on Serrice Council gear if Shepard guessed right, but was made from more of the wooden root like material. The skin of the creature had almost the pattern of fine lines, almost scales, of an Asari, but they followed a branching pattern like a leaf's. Even if all of that hadn't tipped you off, the final clue would. The eyes weren't alive. In fact, a closer look told you they weren't eyes at all but some kind of convex membrane that mimicked the correct colors. Liara gasped and Shepard shuddered. Wrex's only reaction was to growl a low challenge.

 

A slit in its face opened and a hollow voice spoke. “More meat. More meat comes to feed and care for our roots. The broken one promised, but the metal ones came. Lies, meat always lies.”

 

“The one who came before. The one who promised. He wanted something from you. What did he want?” Shepard ignored the threat implied in the thing's words.

 

The facsimile face twisted in a grimace. “He promised meat, servants, for information. For the first time we trusted meat and were betrayed after we told him of the ones who lived before the harvest. He sent the metal ones to destroy our home, our meat.”

 

“The Protheans, they were the ones who came before? I need to know what you told him.” Shepard said.

 

“You will learn, you will learn and you will serve. All meat will serve or be food. No more deals...” The voice trailed off and the creature unleashed a biotic wave at them. Unfortunately for the creature it faced three individuals who were all biotically gifted and they automatically raised barriers to deflect the shockwave. The creature stepped back, surprised.

 

“Wrex.” Shepard said, almost conversationally. “You're up.”

 

Wrex's reply came in the form of a shotgun blast to the midsection of the creature before them. The shot pattern tore into the fibres and pulp and tore away great chunks in a spray of sap and ichor. The creature staggered and took one step too many back, it fell without a sound into the center of the chamber. A shuffling and moaning noise could be heard from the corridors around them.

 

“Liara, take the rear arc. Wrex, take the lead and handle the front.” Shepard paused as she un-racked her rifle. She slipped a special mod unit into place and she heard a thunk as the weapon accepted the modified ammunition block. It was now firing magnesium cased penetrators with an igniter unit in the barrel. “I'll take out the root nodes as we go, I don't think we have enough explosives to affect that central mass.” She paused again, and sighed. “We'll just have to hope we can find a recording or something.”

 

“Well, lets go then.” Wrex said. “We have to make the rubble before you can sift through it.”

 

They moved off down the spiral of corridors and Wrex was immediately engaged by the shambling drones of the Thorian. The big Krogan let out a battle cry and charged, using his weapon as a club to smash the first three he encountered. Another dropped from a pod like structure on the ceiling and he blew it apart almost contemptuously. “Worthless and weak.” he spat.

 

Shepard followed down the path, not speaking, and watching the walls for the large root nodes they'd seen. She heard the chatter of Liara's Tempest and felt the warping when she unleashed a shockwave to clear their rear. She didn't turn to check, she trusted Liara to cover her zone after the fight with the Geth. She spotted one of the nodes ahead and keyed her radio. “Hold up.”

 

Wrex stopped, but kept his eyes on the path in front of them. She noted Liara's icon stopping just behind her in her armor HUD. Aiming carefully for the joint of the root and the node attached to the wall, she opened fire with short bursts of incendiary penetrators. The shots tore into joint like a flaming buzzsaw and the Wrex encountered the green skinned biotic drone, this time it did better. Its attack was focused and knocked Wrex from his feet. However, it left it vulnerable to Shepard's fire. It turned out to be no more resistant to it than the root node or other drones and it dropped after a nearly perfect burst into the junction of its neck and head, nearly severing it and setting it alight. A tiny bit of luck there, but I'll take luck when it happens.

 

“Nice shooting.” rumbled Wrex as he stood and shook himself.

 

“Thanks.” Shepard replied and looked around. “Ready to move?”

 

“Ready.” Liara said, turning from watching the path behind them with a serious expression. So serious that it, in fact, had crossed the line from serious to cute and Shepard grinned despite her best efforts. This made Liara frown, and Shepard let out a short bark of laughter before she could stop herself. Liara looked perplexed and said, “I believe I am missing something, what is funny in this?”

 

“Sorry, its not funny... well at least its not the situation that's... its...” Shepard wound down as she realized she'd been about to say 'its you' but that would likely be taken badly and now she'd talked herself into a bit of a corner. Unexpectedly, Wrex came to her aid – partly.

 

He laughed when he turned to see what they were doing and spoke before Shepard could figure out how to continue. “ Liara, you're cuter than a basketful of varren pups with that serious look on.”

 

Liara looked thoughtful. “So you think I am cute?” she asked turning to Shepard.

 

Shepard shook herself. Damnit, now is not the time for this. Aloud, “We need to focus – Liara, I'm sorry I distracted us. The answer to your question in short is, yes. Among other things. Now, can we get back to stopping the mind controlling homicidal plant creatures?”

 

“Of course, Commander.” Liara said with a slight smile and turned to keep an eye the path behind them.

 

Wrex chuckled and said, “I didn't know humans changed colors, Shepard. What does it mean when you turn red like that?” He didn't wait for an answer, he turned to the front and stomped down the passage.

 

Gathering herself, she followed, trying hard not to spend much time thinking about what Liara was probably thinking.

 

–----

 

Liara continued to watch for threats behind them, but her mind was going over the exchange with Wrex and the Commander. She thinks I am cute. Among other things. Cute can have multiple meanings, human language is imprecise at best. Generally it is a good thing, if not perhaps in the way I might want. Except that sometimes it is, and there is no way to tell which one it was...

 

Before she could continue that thought, they were attacked. It came without much in the way of warning, the unfolding of the curled up drones and Asari drone from the wall gave only a second to respond. Liara reacted on instinct, throwing up a barrier on herself. A split second after it solidified, there were several impacts, almost like bullets, but they came from the drones. It appeared that the drones had developed or been equipped with some kind of ability to expel thorns at very high speed. “Watch out! They have weapons now!” she shouted as she shot the first of the drones.

 

As it turned out, the velocities a plant could produce didn't quite compare to modern mass drivers and the thorns didn't possess sufficient velocity to penetrate their barriers and Wrex's 'charge and melee' tactics were just as effective on the weak creatures. She watched as Shepard expertly collapsed the Asari drone's barrier with rapid fire and then, what did Chief Williams call it... 'double tapped' the drone after venting her rifle. It was cold, professional and Liara realized that Shepard had to have trained specifically to take out biotic, or Asari she thought suddenly, opponents. Of course Shepard had, she thought, she'd probably trained to fight every known Council race. It was disturbing and very human.

 

They tackled several more levels of the chamber and corridors in the same fashion, Wrex leading with Shepard covering. Liara rarely had to take on opponents from their rear after the first ambush failed. The Thorian was capable of learning from its mistakes, it just seemed it wasn't quite capable of overcoming its physical limitations when it wasn't able to use its mind control tactics.

 

They'd reached the final node and you could see the main body of the Thorian struggling to put out new roots to anchor itself. It had given up on spawning new drones and was putting its efforts in to securing itself. As Shepard's fire severed the last of the heavy root nodes, it became obvious its efforts had come too late to save it. The new growth was too small, too weak, to support the great bulk of the plant and it fell into the darkness of the deep shaft.

 

“Do you think that destroyed it?” She asked Shepard, gesturing to where the Thorian had fallen.

 

Shepard shrugged. “Probably not permanently. Its a plant, at least some of it is still alive down there. I'll have an ordnance team drop a Javelin warhead down there before we leave and have the shaft sealed. If we set the yield right, the rest of the tower should stay standing.” Shepard turned and looked down into the blackness. “Its the best we can do.”

 

She saw Shepard key her radio and then turn suddenly as a pod on the wall moved. It split open and all of them raised their weapons as an Asari in commando armor fell from the pod. Shepard shouted, “Check fire! This one's real.”

 

Liara could see what she meant now, this was clearly a real Asari. Perhaps the pattern for the drones? She was glad Shepard had shouted, they had been conditioned from the previous fight and nearly opened fire her. She stepped forward and helped her to her feet. “Can you tell us your name?” she asked.

 

“I'm free?” the commando said, shaking her head. “I'm really free?” She paused and seemed to gather herself. “My name is Shiala, assigned to the guard of Matriarch Benezia.”

 

“You know my mother?” Liara asked. Of course she does, she was assigned to her. Shock was making her thoughts slow. This was the closest they had come to contact with Saren's people or Benezia since she had joined the crew.

 

Shiala looked at her, “You're Liara! Yes. I was with your mother.” She shook herself again, “I suppose... I suppose I should thank you for rescuing me.”

 

“Are you ok? Are you injured?” Shepard asked.

 

“I'm fine, or at least I will be in time.” Shiala replied.

 

Shepard nodded, “Can you tell me what was going on here?”

 

Liara guided the commando to a larger piece of rubble and helped her sit. Then she stepped back to stand near Shepard. It seemed like a good idea to make it clear that Shepard was in charge of the situation.

 

Shiala nodded after she sat. “Yes. I was assigned to Matriarch Benezia and when she chose to join Saren, all of us went with her.” Liara took in a sharp breath at that, Benezia had chosen to join Saren. Shiala nodded in acknowledgment of Liara's surprise and continued. “The Matriarch saw that Saren would grow to have great influence on galactic affairs, but that he was a violent and angry man. She sought to guide him to a more peaceful path. However, Saren is a persuasive and charismatic leader. She lost her way – I can see it now.”

 

“Are you saying he can control minds? Like the Thorian?” Shepard asked, seeing something in the subtext of what Shiala said.

 

“Saren's influence is troubling. We all came to share his goals and ideals, gradually without noticing the change. The Thorian controls though pain and conditioning. Saren persuades you to freely follow.” Shiala replied.

 

Shepard shook her head and looked at Liara briefly then back to Shiala, “There's more to this. Matriarchs are too powerful, too intelligent to fall to a cult of personality – to simple persuasion.”

 

“Saren possesses an enormous warship, he calls it Sovereign.  I believe it is the source of his influence, while you are on the ship, his words make more sense and his ideas seem more reasonable.  This… indoctrination, is subtle and slow - but absolute.  I never questioned Saren.” She snorted gently.  “I suppose I should have thanked the Thorian for taking over my mind, in a way it freed me from that.”

 

Liara looked at Shepard and back to Shiala. “So, you believe that is what is affecting my mother?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Ok, we’re getting off track here, do you know what Saren wanted from the Thorian?” Shepard asked.

 

Shiala nodded.  “Yes.  The Protheans stored information in their beacons, but they made an assumption that anyone accessing the information would think as they did.  That information and concepts would be perceived in the same fashion.  Fundamentally then, you cannot fully understand Prothean data storage without knowledge of their culture - of their perceptions of reality.”  She snorted again.  “Saren was quite incensed that you were able to recover the one from Eden Prime.”

 

“And?”

 

“Saren needed what no living being could give him, direct knowledge of the Prothean civilization.  It was through his corporate connections that he learned of this project and realized that a being as old as the Thorian would have been present at the height of the Prothean occupation of this world.  He hoped the information could be obtained from this being, that a Cypher of sorts could be created to decode the Prothean data systems.” Shiala said.

 

Liara pointed to the pod Shiala had been in.  “And you were the price for this information?”

 

“Yes.  And the medium for its transfer.”   Shiala replied.

 

\-----

 

“Yes.  And the medium for its transfer.” Shiala said.

 

Shepard nearly leapt for joy.  Finally they might be able to get a step ahead of Saren.  “And can you give us, me, this Cypher?”

 

Shiala nodded and stood.  “I can transfer the Cypher to you via a melding.”

 

“Do it.” Shepard said, stepping forward.

 

“Shepard, this is ris…” Liara said, putting a hand on Shepard’s shoulder.

 

“I know Liara.” Shepard interrupted.  “Its a risk, but I need to sort out the beacon’s information.  And this is the only way.”

 

Liara’s hand fell from her shoulder and she nodded.  “I will be right here the whole way.”  Liara looked back at Wrex. “Wrex, stand behind the Commander.  In case she falls.”  She stepped to the side and drew her Tempest, pointing it at Shiala’s head. “And if you attempt treachery, rest assured it will be the last action you take in this life.” she said to the green tinged Asari.  A killer could see it in the eyes of another, and Shepard was surprised to see the cold, clear willingness to kill in the eyes of the normally gentle and polite doctor.

 

Shepard felt Wrex place a clawed hand on the back of her armor, ready to support her, and heard his rumbling laugh. “Doctor, I’m starting to like you.” he said.

 

“Liara…” Shepard started, but was interrupted.

 

“Let us get this done.” Liara said without inflection.

 

Shiala gave Liara a respectful nod.  The commando, it seemed, also recognized the look of a fellow killer in the doctor’s gaze.  “Alright.  Commander, relax.”  She put a hand on each side of Shepard’s face, and her eyes went dark.  “Embrace Eternity!”

 

Shepard would never be able to fully describe what she saw in that time.  She recalled flashes of what she interpreted as street markets, passionate debates on politics, factories, and a thousand other things.  All played out by beings that looked much like humanoid insects.  There was more, other senses engages, sounds and smells and tastes.  Senses she couldn't quite describe.

 

And then it began again, the message from the beacon.  The difference this time was that she understood the terror, could smell the death.  It was clearly a warning.  With the additional stimuli something else happened however.  She clearly heard and smelled Mindoir again.  And a flashback that she hadn't seen in years hit her like a sledgehammer.  She gasped and staggered, held up only by Wrex.  Then everything went black.

 

\-----

 

Some time later, she realized she was lying on her back on a soft surface.  She was out of her armor, the thought in some confusion and then realized the lights above her were the normal lights of a shipboard nighttime.  She tried to sit up and, while she was tired, found that she had no difficulty.  So, she thought, at least I wasn’t injured.

 

“Shepard!”  Liara exclaimed from the chair at Doctor Chakwas desk.  “You are awake!  You should lay back down, I will get the doctor.”  She rose from the chair.

 

Shepard shook her head, the sudden pain from that making her realize that had been unwise.  “Wait, I need to know what happened first.”

 

Liara stepped to the bedside and took Shepard’s hand.  Shepard saw the fatigue in her face, and the worry.  “What do you remember?” she said.

 

“Embrace Eternity, then a freight train of memories exploding in my head.  Then waking up.” Shepard replied.

 

“After you fainted, Wrex verified you were just unconscious - which kept me from shooting Shiala.” Liara said with a shrug.. “Then Wrex picked you up and we headed for the ship.  Dr Chakwas did not see anything wrong, so she decided we should just let you come out of it naturally.  That was seven hours ago.”

 

“Ok, anything else I need to know?  Where’s Shiala then?” Shepard asked.

 

Liara managed to look worried, tired and now embarrassed at the same time. “Everyone seemed to be trying to figure out what to do next.”  She shrugged again.  “So I made some decisions. Shiala is still on the colony, she asked to stay to help them. I think she felt guilty.  I directed the crew to wrap up relief efforts and drop the remaining supplies.  Then I had Lt. Moreau get us on course to the relay.  I believe the next stop was Noveria?”

 

Shepard grinned.  “And you made the decisions that got all us rolling?”

 

“I believe they assumed I was relaying orders from you.” Liara replied. “I did not correct their impression.”

 

Shepard sat up fully, smiling more than grinning now.  She shook her head, not feeling the pain this time.  Then she leaned forward and kissed Liara.

 

The move surprised both of them.  Liara certainly didn’t see it coming.  Shepard had no clue what possessed her in that moment.  Later she’d decide that the unexpected success of the mission, combined with the humorous image in her head of Liara ordering Pressley around, broke down her normal reserve.

 

Whatever the cause, once she started, Shepard decided to give it her best.  She didn’t know how long it lasted before they pulled back, almost in unison, but at least some parts of her believed it wasn’t long enough.

 

Both of them stared at each other.  Neither spoke for a full minute.  Finally Liara broke the silence.  “So, you think I am the good kind of cute then?”

 

Both of them giggled.  “Yes, the good kind of cute.  Smart.  Beautiful.  Apparently exactly my ‘type’, presuming I have a type.” Shepard said, swinging her feet off of the bed and standing.  “But…”

 

“But, sudden and unexpected - something we should take some time to see if it is wise to pursue?” Liara completed the sentence, with a slight frown.

 

Shepard nodded. “Basically."  

 

“I agree, at least that I need some time.  I.. I am not experienced in this.  I expect you probably have a much better grasp of…”  Liara’s voice tailed off as she noticed Shepard’s pensive expression.

 

Looking down at her feet, Shepard felt like a teenager without an answer in school.  She looked back up. “Liara, even allowing for a fairly active career,  I’m probably less experienced in this area than you.   I’ve been on precisely one ‘date’ in my life and it ended with a Batarian invasion.”  She found herself biting her lip, a nervous habit she thought she’d killed off at the academy, and made herself stop.  “I think we’re both moving in charted territory here.  But… I like you, and I’m tired of being alone.”

 

Liara smiled then.  “So we move slowly then.”

 

“Right.  Slowly.”  Shepard felt herself sway slightly.  Some details of what had happened during the melding were starting to surface.

 

“Are you sure you are alright?” Liara asked, reaching out a hand.

 

Shepard nodded.  “Yeah, just starting to remember more detail from the meld.  I think I need to head to my quarters, try to make sense of it and get some normal sleep.  Let Presley know and tell him I confirmed Noveria as our destination, ok?”

 

Liara looked concerned but lowered her hand.  “Alright.”

 

Shepard put a hand on Liara’s shoulder as she passed by.  “We'll talk later, OK?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention moving the relationship front along. :)


	30. In Transit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard tries to make sense of the cypher and the Prothean visions. Liara helps.
> 
> The rest of the crew decide to help Shepard and Liara.
> 
> Shepard and Liara, take a step forward. Then another because they were pushed. Fair warning, I was shooting to stay PG13ish but probably strayed a bit. It, however, doesn't cross the line to explicit territory - it does have a purpose.

**SSV Normandy**

**In Transit**

**Thessus System**

 

Liara sat up on her cot, resting her chin on her right knee while she paged through the records she could access on Lilias Shepard. As an archeologist, she was used to piecing together stories from fragmentary data. Applying those skills to the redacted documents she browsed was second nature.  Using some of her contacts to gain access to a few un-redacted files had been even more informative.  And unlike me, she thought, I’d never been one to break the rules like that before.

 

She had read the citations, the public ones at least, and now that she’d been in combat with her, she believed she had identified what was so special about Shepard. She gives up, never quits. She's been a part of failed missions but... she never gave up a fight. Never gave up on the people under her command, lost some - but never abandoned those under her protection - often to her personal detriment in after action reports. Goddess, if I am  right, even conservatively the amount of combat she has seen. How does she stay sane?  Along with Mindoir?

 

She opened another document, eyes burning with fatigue, but unwilling to stop.  The kiss and Shepard simple, “I like you, and I’m tired of being alone.” kept playing through her mind.  Something had changed, and apparently she’d been the catalyst for it.  Which made for a puzzle.  She had to understand, to explain that puzzle.  Liara idly paged through the document explaining the Alliance Academy and reflected on the past…  My, has it been only…  I’ve known Shepard for, with the transit time today, almost exactly a human week.  And in that time my life has changed.  Liara had never been the sort to chart out her life, to decide on goals and life stages with dates set to them.  She had planned on being the best in her field.  On solving the Prothean mystery.  And now, none of those goals seemed to matter in the face of understanding Shepard.

 

She blinked and blearily noted the time as after 1am on the ship's clock. I have no idea what time my body thinks it is. She yawned and reluctantly closed down her console.  She began to uncurl and stretch out on the cot. Without the documents to concentrate on, her mind drifted and finally settled on a memory of Shepard smiling at her, her face splattered with hydraulic fluid.  She's the first human... no... the first person at all who looked at me and saw me first, not my mother or my academics.  And if I had to admit it, I think I...  Her com chimed and she sat up in surprise. She had no specific duties, so a middle of the night call was odd, to say the least. She hit the acceptance key for audio. "Yes?"

 

"Liara, I'm sorry to wake you." Shepard’s voice came from the speakers, but different. Drained and hoarse, Liara could hear strain underlying the words.

 

"I had not yet slept, I have been... reviewing documents. Did something come up? Is it about the mission, my mother?  Something else?" she asked.

 

"No, no... its nothing. I shouldn't have bothered you. I'll let you get to..."

 

Liara spoke quickly, interrupting before Shepard could finish and cut the connection. "You are not bothering me." She paused and took a deep breath, making a quick decision based on Shepard's tone of voice. That human phrase, 'In for a penny or something?' "How can I help... Lilias?"

 

"I know we’d talked about taking our time - so this isn’t about… us so much as its… well... would you mind coming up to my cabin? Its not something I want to talk about over a com." Shepard replied.

 

"I will be right there."

 

\-----

 

The sentry posted to the mid-deck area nodded to Liara as she passed him. She nodded back, not completely sure of the protocol for interacting with the crew. The sentry looked almost relieved to see her, which seemed odd.  When she arrived at Shepard's cabin, she hesitated and then touched the door control - expecting it to chime and notify Shepard she was there. She froze a moment when the door slid open immediately, then shook herself and stepped into the room.

 

The door closed behind her and she looked around, wondering what Shepard’s cabin might say about her. Not much it turned out, as it was apparent that Shepard had barely moved in. No awards adorned the walls, no personal items occupied shelves or the desk. A pair of footlockers sat in the corner, one opened to reveal neatly packed uniforms, and a keyboard leaned against the wall between them.  Shepard sat on the bed, in the far corner of the room. She was dressed in worn looking baggy clothing, humans called them 'sweats' Liara recalled having seen crew members working in the small gym setup in the hold, and had drawn her knees up to her chest. Her forehead rested on her knees and she had both arms wrapped around her legs. Liara did not need help understanding that it was a defensive posture.

 

"Thanks for coming up." Shepard said softly.

 

Liara crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, the corner opposite Shepard.

 

"You wanted to talk?" she prompted.

 

"I do. And I realize this may be awkward for us right now..."

 

"If I was not willing to help, I would not have come." Liara was getting worried, this was not the same Shepard who was so self assured on Feros and Therum.

 

Shepard gave a wan smile and then leaned her head against the bulkhead, closing her eyes. "I presume Doctor Chakwas gave you the general rundown on my tragic youth?"

 

Liara started in surprise. "How did you know she spoke to me about you?"

 

"I'm fairly certain that if Karin noticed what the rest of the crew seems to have noticed, she'd filled you in on my backstory when she gently nudged you in my direction. Am I right?"

 

"More or less." Liara's eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait, you said 'rest of the crew'. What did you mean?"

 

"Can I talk about that later? Its not why I needed you to come up." Shepard's voice sounded brittle.

 

"Of course. What is wrong?"

 

"Since you know my history, at least in general terms, I'll skip it." Shepard drew a long breath and let it out slowly over almost exactly a ten second count. "I had a nightmare, but not my usual. This one was a full blown flashback, with every sense replayed - which is extremely strange for a dream. Worse than any combat flashback or panic attack I've ever had.  Very similar to what I remember of the meld on Feros."

 

Liara winced at the pain she could hear in Shepard's voice. "I..." She'd unconsciously reached out a hand towards Shepard.  That she’d admitted to panic attacks was surprising.  This whole event was throwing her impression of Shepard off.

 

Shepard waved her back.  "Let me get the rest of this out, before I lose it completely" she said, then clenched her hand into a fist and kept talking before Liara could say anything else. "I could have handled that - maybe, but it didn't stop there. It was mixed with the Prothean beacon vision. Disjointed, and it doesn’t stop.  It comes back each time I try to sleep. I was hoping talking to you... hell, I dunno what I was hoping. I just know if I go to Karin with it, she'll relieve me and sedate me until she could do a psych eval.”  Shepard's knuckles were white and she was trembling. Liara kept her tone as level as she could, and firmly suppressed a another urge to take Shepard's hand.

 

"You know quite a lot about my people, and you are familiar with our ability to make a mental connection with others, as Shiala did when she gave you the Prothean cypher?" Shepard nodded jerkily and Liara continued. "It is possible that with my knowledge of the Protheans, and the information you gained on Feros, if we joined our thoughts, it might help make sense of the vision."

 

Shepard looked up sharply at that. "Liara, what you're suggesting... you'll see things..."

 

"I understand if you are worried about secrets or that you might suffer a loss of control, I assure you I will be focused on these visions. I believe the benefits outweigh the risks."

 

"I'm not worried about secrets. I trust you, Liara and I can't do it halfway." Shepard looked at Liara directly. “And regardless of how fast we’re moving, I think it's clear you’re already more than a friend.”  She looked down and picked at the fraying cuff of her sleeve. "I know you've read about Mindoir. But these visions, what they've stirred up, you'll see it. Hear it, and smell it - relive it with me." She looked back up and spoke softly. "I carry that every day, but I'm not sure I can live with putting someone else through that.  There are ugly things in me, things I can’t undo, and you’ll see them in full."

 

Liara reached out and captured Shepard's hand in hers, speaking in a rush. "We have only known each other for a short, albeit intense, time and I hope it is not too forward of me to say it this, but based on what Doctor Chakwas said, you have never truly healed.”  She waved down Shepard’s attempt to speak.  “You say you carry it every day and if I have learned anything useful from my mother it is that we are not meant to carry the pain alone. I am inexperienced in this, I surely am no Matriarch or psych tech, but I believe that your trauma is at least part of why the Prothean vision is so painful and hard to interpret." She squeezed Shepard's hand. "You said that you trust me. Allow me to say I trust you with my life...and more. So, let me help, please."

 

Shepard opened her mouth to speak and stopped, then closed it. She looked thoughtful and nodded. "What do we do?"

 

Liara took a deep breath. She hadn't expected Shepard to agree quite so quickly. "Try to focus on a vast empty space. Clear your mind as much as you are able." She let go of Shepard's hand and gently placed on palm on each side of Shepard's head. Her voice took on a hollow note and her eyes went black. "Let go your senses and embrace eternity!"

 

\-----

 

The first thing Liara felt was the heat, oppressive even in this mental space.  The wind didn't cool any more than a convection oven did.  Dust choked every breath and a smell of burnt flesh that Liara tried hard not to identify grew as the moments passed.  They were together on a hilltop overlooking a sprawling farm, occupying much of the valley below them.  Fires burned among the buildings and figures moved, visible only as outlined in the firelight.  Liara looked over at Shepard and saw a tall youth instead of the woman she'd expected.  She could see the underlying features of the Shepard she knew, but clearly here Shepard still saw herself as the teen confronted with the destruction of her world.

 

"It always starts here." Shepard said, conversationally. "I don't know if its bad or good that I never get to see it as it was before this starts."

 

"And the Prothean visions?" Liara asked, laying a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

 

"That comes later, after." Shepard sighed. In the background, people and animals screamed. "Its about to get worse."

 

The landscape shifted around them and suddenly Liara found herself standing near one of the buildings, now a burned out shell.  She could see bodies on the ground, and a sobbing Shepard on her knees between them.  Goddess, those must be her parents.  As the thought crossed her mind, she heard approaching footsteps and tried to cry out in warning.  She found she was unable to speak or move, she was relegated to the role of observer only in this.  A Batarian patrol walked up to the kneeling youth.  She could hear the harsh shouts, and watched Shepard slowly rise to her feet.  She could tell Shepard was speaking, but it was indistinct.  

 

Then, in a flash, the young Shepard erupted in violence.  She watched as a burst of raw biotic power tore one slaver into pieces, then moved to attack the other three.  Shepard moved with none of the skill or grace Liara had seen in the fights they'd been in together.  None of the control she'd witnessed in training.  This was pure animal savagery and she winced as the slavers went down.  She heard, almost felt, the bullets striking flesh as Shepard simply absorbed the fire and continued fighting.  The fight was over now.  One slaver left alive at Shepard's feet.  Liara still couldn't hear the low voiced words she spoke, but the slaver raised an arm that lacked a hand and scrambled at his waist for a weapon.  She watched as Shepard methodically butchered the helpless slaver and understood this was what Shepard had feared Liara would see.  She was afraid that it would color how Liara thought of her, she understood.

 

Liara was not a total innocent.  In the years of working isolated dig sites, she'd fought and sometimes killed.  She'd seen real combat with Shepard, but she'd never seen anything like this though, this pure expression of murderous rage.  It did change how Liara thought of Shepard, she decided.  It finally brought her understanding of how someone could be so calm in a fight, so professional in the face of the odds against them.  Why Shepard fought so hard to save lives, to negotiate when she could.  She knows what it is like when you don’t, when savagery rules.  She understands violence on a level most never will.

 

The scene in front of her had turned into a tableau and Liara found she could move again.  She looked to her right and saw Shepard standing there again.  Now back to the woman she knew, except in a tattered and stained uniform.  There were bruises on her face and cuts and wounds on her left side.  Liara tried to recall her training on the imagery of the mental landscape, this would represent the current state of Shepard's mind.  The pain in Shepard's expression and the fatigue were obvious.  Liara didn't hesitate, she stepped close put her arm around Shepard's shoulders.  Liara knew that it was dangerous to effectively take on part of the neural load, but when Shepard sagged against the support she knew she had made the right decision.

 

As they stood there, looking out over the ruin of Shepard’s childhood, she felt something more.  A swirling flow of emotions that she wasn’t prepared to deal with.  Fear and worry were present, but were being driven down by something stronger - warmer.  A stray thought regarding her lips that hadn’t originated in her mind and she realized the other danger of the support she’d offered.  Neither of them was experienced in shielding the other from excess emotion and thought.

 

Liara tried to find words and Shepard spoke into the silence.

 

"The second half will start soon."  Shepard rested her head against Liara's. "Get ready, this hurts."

 

A scream of pain and despair that came from no being either of them had ever known, but could recognize all the same.  Overlaying it came an electronic simulacra of the same voice, somehow recognizable as a twisted mockery.

 

An image of humanoid figures, torn open but alive, being filled with strange metallic parts.  Completed conversions, marked by desiccated flesh, worked over members of their own species.

 

A flash of a young woman's face, twisted in pain and terror, as a Batarian hand forced a self-securing implant against her head.  The scream fades and the lifeless body falls to the floor.  The Batarian shrugs and turns to the next in line.

 

A few vast ships, ships they'd seen once in the Eden Prime broadcast, coast through space, red beams flashing out.  Everything they touch is destroyed.  A fleet of strangely beautiful ships is left as nothing but wreckage in their wake.  The battle is over in minutes.

 

The Citadel, glowing a sinister red, guarded by endless fleets of ships.  The same terrifyingly organic looking ships that had destroyed an entire fleet with a handful of vessels.

 

Images blending together of a human man and woman, of another man bound on his knees.  Shepard standing over the man, pulling a trigger.  Her expression, almost bored, barely flickers as bits of blood and brain stain the wall behind him.

 

The perspective shifts, flows into space and shows the relay network.  Then static and the scream again, the other images in faster and faster succession.  The scream reaches a deafening volume.

 

Liara opened her eyes.  They were both sitting on Shepard's bed again, Liara's hands on Shepard's face.  She dropped her hands to her lap and smiled weakly.  "Well, that was certainly..."  she started to say, then fainted and fell face first into Shepard’s pillow.

 

\-----

 

Shepard moved too quickly for someone who’d been sitting still for so long when she watched Liara faint.  She hissed in sudden pain at the stiffness, but ignored it and rolled Liara onto her side, checking her pulse quickly.  It was steady and it seemed that whatever had happened had produced a deep sleep.

 

Unfortunately not in her case, she was feeling quite awake now, and much better after Liara had helped.  Combined with the Cypher they'd picked up on from the Thorian, her outside viewpoint had helped separate the Prothean images from her own recurring nightmares. Obviously the vision was incomplete, she could see that now, but at least she knew she wasn't going crazy.  It was clearly a warning of a civilization ending menace, but she sensed it was only the first half of the message.  What she didn't know was if the beacon had been incomplete for both her and Saren, or if he was in possession of information she didn't have.  The nightmare itself, it felt more distant now.  As if sharing it underscored that it was in the past - she wasn’t still fighting that battle.  

 

She had also learned that, you didn’t link nervous systems and share an event like that without some bleed over of emotions.  Shepard knew, knew with certainty, that Liara did not hold her past against her.  In fact she knew, both of them knew, they shared almost the same feelings for one another. She looked at the sleeping Asari on her bed and tried to decide what to do.  The sentry had probably seen her arrive and go right in.  If she woke Liara now and she went back to her cabin, would it be worse than Liara leaving after the change of watch?  More importantly, did that matter anymore?  Shepard couldn't quite quantify where their relationship was, but she was certain now of where she wanted it to go.  She also knew that it had become more important to her than the opinion her officers might hold regarding it.  She smiled slightly, watching Liara sleep. I wish I was that much at peace right now.  She pulled one of the blankets over and tucked it over Liara, then rose from the bed and padded quietly over to her desk.  

 

Opening up the second watch's reports she began to skim them. Usually reports knocked her right out and she could feel them working their magic already just a few pages in.  Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing requiring sign off.  It would be time to head back to the Citadel and regroup a bit, after Noveria.  She entered a note to set a course for the Citadel when they arrived at Noveria and logged it as pending for Joker.  Its not that she didn't trust the third watch officers, she just trusted Joker more.  She looked at the clock, it was just after 0300, time to get some sleep before 0800 and when she normally started her shipboard day. Decision time.  Send her back to her quarters?  Pull up a blanket of my own?  Sleep in my chair? Shepard pursed her lips then shrugged.  She stepped back to the bed and crawled in next to Liara, trying to leave a bit of space.  By the time she pulled up the other blanket, she was already nodding off.

 

\-----

 

It was 0645 and the third watch sentry noted that Doctor T’Soni hadn’t left the Commander’s quarters.  Lets see, he thought, if we assume it means what I think it means.  That’s almost exactly a week, counting transit times.  He keyed his omni tool and scrolled through the pool.  It looked like two people had signed up for that slot and he clicked to expand it.  Doctor Karin Chakwas/Lt. J. Moreau.  he read.  Looks like they're both a couple of hundred credits richer, damnit.  He sent a quick note down to Adams in engineering, he’d been picked to admin the pool since it was widely believed that he was incorruptible.  Once he sent the note, he returned his attention to the corridor and his sentry duties.

 

About ten minutes later his relief arrived and he nodded to Corporal Jaise.  She nodded back and said, “Private Lars, I relieve you.”

 

“I stand relieved.” he replied, stretching his shoulders as she stepped forward to take his position.

 

She glanced around the corridor then back at him.  “So, all night huh?”

 

“Since just after 1am.  From the way the skipper looked before she turned in, I’m glad Doctor T’Soni came down.” he said, glancing at the closed cabin door.

 

“Joker’s gonna be damn smug in the mess.” Jaise muttered.

 

Lars shook his head.  “Chakwas is going to be worse.”

 

“Adams already sent a note out to the pool participants.  By 0800 it’ll be all over the ship.” Jaise said.

 

“Not our problem.” Lars replied, then grinned. “But like I said.  I’m glad the Dr came down.  Skipper’s a good sort, I hope it works out.”

 

Jaise nodded.  All of the Marines knew the Commander's history.  A few had served on ships she’d been on.  Most of them wouldn't admit it but when the rumors had started making the rounds about her coming over all schoolgirl due to one somewhat timid Asari, the non-coms of the ship’s company had informally agreed they should help it along if possible.

 

“Technically,” Jaise said. “she’s still off for medical until cleared right?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.” Lars shrugged.  “Why?”

 

Jaise grinned and keyed her com.  “Doctor Chakwas, Corporal Jaise here.  Are you available?”

 

\-----

 

Liara woke slowly, she had never been an early riser and she’d put in a late night before.  So her thoughts were moving along slowly.  She was warm, comfortable, in fact more comfortable than she’d slept in the past week on board the Normandy.  This thought connected with the memory of where she had gone last night and her eyes snapped open.  I guess I fell asleep in the Com… Lilias’ room… quarters, no cabin?  She turned her head to the side and figured out why she was so warm.

 

Pressed up to her side, snoring gently, was a Lilias shaped heating unit.  Goddess, I never realized humans were this warm.  She glanced at the bedside terminal and gasped when the time registered.  It was 1035.  Well past her normally late 0900 alarm, and she suspected Lilias normally rose much earlier than that.

 

Carefully extracting her arm, she punched a query into her omni tool.  Medical override?  How?  Who…  Doctor Karin Chakwas the note read.  Liara realized she must have granted more rights to the ships command staff than she thought when she linked her tool to the Normandy’s systems.  She was debating waking Shepard when she realized the snoring had stopped.

 

“What time is it?” the sleepy query came quietly up from the still eyes closed Shepard.

 

Liara shifted slightly.  “1035” she said.

 

Lilias sat bolt upright.  “What?” she exclaimed, then her eyes narrowed. “Chakwas” she said.

 

“My omni tool was overridden. I suspect yours as well.” Liara said, unconsciously taking Lilias’ hand.  “Given the evidence, I believe my presence in your quarters has not gone unnoticed.”

 

“Sometimes I think Karin forgets she’s also an officer under my command.” Lilias said in a conversational tone. She squeezed Liara’s hand. “You know that you staying last night will be all over the ship by now.”

 

“Yes, you mentioned something about the crew, and I …” Liara started to say.  Lilias interrupted, continuing.

 

“And that no matter what we say, people will assume that you and I are… intimate even after just about a week.”

 

Liara tried again. “Lilias…”

 

Lilias had let go of Liara’s hand and risen to pace.  “And I know that we were going to see about taking things slowly, dealing with the mission and decide on what was wise.”

 

Liara decided the best action was the one Lilias had used on her that first day on the ship.  She stood and stepped into the path of the pacing woman.  She reached out and put one hand on each of Lilias’ shoulders when she stopped.  “Lilias Shepard, stop.”  and to Liara’s amazement, she did.  So she spoke quickly before Lilias could interrupt.  “Yes, we had thought about taking things slowly.  But circumstances have changed.”  She paused.  “I know you Lilias.  I have read every scrap of your public record.  And I have seen you - the real you.”

 

Lifting one hand, she touched Lilias’ face. “And I know neither of us was shielding very well last night.  You know how I feel.” And vice versa. she thought.

 

Lilias leaned into her touch and whispered.  “This is crazy Liara.  Real people don’t…  they don’t get involved that quickly.  We’re not some bad vid drama.”

 

“And why not?” there was a note of exasperated amusement in Liara’s voice now.  “Humans do everything else quicker than the rest of the galaxy.”   I know what word she stopped herself from using.  “Do you not have a term for it?  ‘Love at first sight’ or something along those lines?”

 

“I wasn’t sure the term applied… I mean we’ve never even gone on a date or anything.” Lilias said, a bit weakly, and sat on the edge of the bed.

 

Liara sat next to her.  “I am a scientist and a historian.  Accurate definitions are a part of who I am.  Let me be totally clear.  When I said neither of us was shielding very well last night, I meant that I also gained a fairly good understanding of how you feel as well.”  She leaned over and put her head on Lilias’ shoulder.  “Crazy or not, it appears to be the most accurate description.”

 

“So.  Slow is out the airlock.” Lilias said, laying back on the bed and pulling Liara with her.

 

Liara found that being pressed into Lilias’ side was and using her shoulder as a pillow, in fact, more comfortable than being the pillow herself.  “So it would appear.” she murmured.  She inhaled and figured out at least one reason she was so comfortable.  She smells like Thessian nasse berries, Liara realized and before she could stop herself, said so.  “You smell like nasse berries.”

 

Lilias chuckled and rolled toward Liara, just a bit.  “Lidanya’s daughters, well I suppose it's technically accurate to call them my sisters, sent me a crate of cosmetics and bath supplies for my birthday.  And those berries were one of my favorite things when I lived with them.  I think they’re still of the opinion that I can’t take care of myself.”  She traced a finger along Liara’s chin then applied gentle pressure to tilt her face upward.  From inches away she whispered, “You could say I’ve become quite fond of many things grown on Thessia.”

 

“Have you.” Liara said, equally quietly, then closed the gap.  This kiss felt very different from the spontaneous one the day before.  They both knew it was coming.  They both were intent on expressing a certain level of seriousness in it.  And, Liara thought suddenly, Hands!  Her eyes popped open.  Both of them pulled back and grinned a bit sheepishly.  

 

Lilias’ grin turned mischievous and she quite deliberately didn’t move her hand from where it had slipped under the waist of Liara’s night clothes.  Liara moved her hand from where it had drifted under Lilias’ sweatshirt, where she had discovered that Lilias apparently did not wear undergarments to bed.  

 

“Too much?” Lilias asked, moving her hand slowly upward along Liara’s back and under her top.

 

Liara shook her head.  “No.”  She sat up, and removed Lilias’ hand from under her top. Then she took a deep breath.  “I was, however, thinking that after last night I might benefit from bathing.”

 

A look of confusion crossed Lilias’ face.

 

Liara rose from the bed and crossed the cabin to the small bathroom.  Closing the door, she could hear Lilias getting up outside.  Taking another deep breath she quickly removed her night clothes and opened the door, just enough to pop her head out.  “I am not experienced in romantic encounters, so I will attempt to avoid misunderstandings.  I am going to use your shower, would you care to join me?”

 

Lilias stopped still where she stood.  Liara realized she had opened the door more than she thought and a purplish blush rose in her cheeks.  Lilias shook her head and smiled.  She activated the com unit in her console and said. “XO Presley, Shepard.  On medical advice I’m taking the rest of our transit to Noveria as off duty time.  Com if there is an emergency, otherwise I’ll rely on you to handle the ship.  Shepard, out.”  She cut the com and stepped to the bathroom door.  “The nasse berry body wash is in the cabinet just behind you.”  She opened the door and stepped in.  

 

“And are you going to shower in those?” Liara said, turning to the indicated cabinet and withdrawing a familiarly branded bottle.  

 

She heard a rustle of cloth and by the time she had turned back around she found herself, for only the second time in her life, naked in the presence of another.  Well second time with the intent of doing something with that naked other person, she thought.  It was one of the few thoughts she could process.  She had not known what she expected - but it probably wouldn’t have prepared her for the reality.  The bottle started to slip from her fingers because, it seemed, all of her brain’s attention was elsewhere.  She had known of Lilias’ scars on an intellectual level, but now she was faced with them in reality.  The physical evidence of a life spent fighting.  And she found them fascinating.  They were history written in flesh, she thought and reached out with her other hand toward a small circle of scar tissue on Lilias’ upper right chest.

 

“Torfan.” Lilias said, closing the distance.  Not that there had been much to close in the small bathroom.  She took the bottle from Liara’s hand.

 

Liara nodded and they moved back into the shower by unspoken agreement.  The unit sensed a presence and activated.  Lilias’ settings, she noted, were for a high volume and low pressure spray of skin temperature water.  She was trying to concentrate on details to avoid thinking about what they were doing, and she knew if she let herself do that she would back out.  So, she deliberately brought her other hand up to a more ragged mark near Lilias’ hip.

 

“That was from Mindoir.” Lilias said, more softly than before.  She placed the bottle on the shower shelf and then put both hands on Liara’s shoulders.

 

They went on like that for a while.  Liara would explore a mark, Lilias would give a one or two word explanation.  Eventually, though, there were no more scars.  Liara’s hands moved and Lilias made a noise somewhere between a growl and a laugh.  “Those I got when I turned 15.” she said with grin.

 

Liara had figured out that Lilias was deliberately not doing much exploration of her own.  She was letting Liara take the lead, so to speak and she wondered why.  Then she looked down and saw the markings on Lilias’ chest, not a scar but somewhat like Asari facial markings.  The script was flowing and unfamiliar.  “What does this mean?” she asked, running her fingers along the marks.

 

A shudder went through Lilias’ body and her hands tightened on Liara’s shoulders then moved.  One went behind Liara’s neck, the other to the small of her back, and she felt herself pulled forward.  She responded, moving into the embrace and putting her hands - well multiple places.

  
“It’s a poem.  And I’ll tell you later.” Lilias said, before putting her lips better use.


End file.
